This isn’t the first time a company has proposed simplicity as a way to capture and relive memories. Google introduced an AI-powered camera called Clips in 2018 that could record short videos and didn’t even need to press a button. Simply turn it on and the AI could determine the correct moments to capture, and these 7-second clips could then be accessed on the phone app. clips was discontinued almost two years after its launch.
It may be time for Kyu to step in as a personal and private social network. BeReal, the social media app that championed authenticity, has seen a steep decline since its explosive growth in 2022. The mass migration from X to Bluesky has left some people wondering where to post. And TikTok could be banned in the US in 2025.
Perhaps the intention of carrying Kyu in your hand, the camera-like instant “limit” on how much you can capture, and the easy-to-match edits in the app will help create memory bursts that are bite-sized but can still transport. You beyond the same old scroll. Since you’ll have to be more selective about what you capture before space runs out, you won’t have unnecessary files hogging up space. And the resulting videos are thankfully short: no one wants to sit through your 10 minute travel diary. You can also control whether these videos are saved to your digital library instead of the automatic, non-stop backup that most of us are used to with our smartphones.
Courtesy of Kyu
Right now, the Google Photos app has “Memories” that you can scroll through that show old images, but they’re often random photos chosen by Google’s AI rather than a collection of memories tied to a specific event. Google recently launched a feature that uses generative artificial intelligence to create an annual summary of your memories with AI-written captions. My 2024 recap didn’t particularly strike a chord with me, but perhaps the Kyu clips would have had a greater impact.
This is the first product from a new company, so we’ll need to see the camera in action before passing judgment. I hope it can successfully complete the promised features – a low bar for 2024. The Kyu is available for preorder Ironically, an optional $30 subscription is in the works to, ironically, store your memories in the cloud, although Ando assures me it will also include other benefits like insurance to protect the device, a repair and even a discount on future products.
The hardware will launch in April, but if you have an iPhone, you can download the Kyu app now and start capturing 9-second videos. Just don’t call them Vines.