RockLive Launches Justin Bieber-Funded Selfie App for iOS
RockLive launched Shots of Me, a selfie photo sharing application in iOS. The venture was mainly funded by embattled Canadian pop star Justin Bieber who lately has been allergic to paparazzis after he was caught kicked out of a Brazilian sex den.
John Shahidi, CEO of RockLive, shared that Shots of Me as an idea was conceptualised in May while creating games for high school student. "People enjoy looking at humans. Not just yourself. People like looking at other people. It doesn't ever really get old," Techcrunch quoted Mr Shahidi.
Users with the selfie app must take their photos using their mobile phone cameras. Similar to Snapchat, they can only shoot Shots of Me selfies within the app and can't upload previous photos taken.
YouTube/Kollin Killian
Users can't comment on photos they see on the app because drama would kill the moment for the selfie photo taker who felt so positive at the moment that he decided to share the self image, explained Mr Shahidi.
But the app includes a direct messaging that permits the user to ping a follower which would allow private reaction to a selfie, but only between two app users and not for the whole world to read.
Mr Shahidi disclosed that it was this feature that attracted Justin to fund the app development since the controversial Canadian pop star is annoyed with other platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and other social network sites where he is the target of frequent homophobic slur and hate Justin posts.
Mr Shahidi said that before Justin invested $1.1 million in the second round fund raising for the app, RockLive already had raised $1.1 million from Shervin Pisheva, boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr who is a friend of Bieber, early Apple employee Tom MnInerney and NALA investments.
He said while Instagram created a home for filtered and elegant photos, Shots of Me will, hopefully, be the home of selfie images. "People are going to enjoy seeing their life documented through the app. They're your memories. If you're not in the photo, it didn't happen," Mr Shahidi said.
