Ideas
Explore the world's #1 largest database of ideas and innovations, with 459,692 inspiring examples.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,236 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 321,366 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Consumer Insights
Uncover major shifts and emerging opportunities with our exclusive PRO research.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,236 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 321,366 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Trend Reports
Get fast, customized trend reports, presentations and deep dives 20x faster than traditional research.
Plans
Get started today with a free consultation, our self-serve tools, or a dedicated program.
Articles & Magazine
Get inspired with our 4,208 innovation strategy articles, keynote, videos and innovation tools.
Innovation Awards
Trend Hunter’s Innovation Strategy Awards recognize the best innovation tactics gathered from our interviews with some of the world's most notable business leaders, authors and change makers.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Innovation Assessment
Enhance your innovation potential with a deeper understanding of your unique innovation archetype and how your organization benchmarks.
FuturistU
Prepare for the years ahead with 100+ lessons, tactics, tools and frameworks with our full learning database.
Innovation Books
Join 20,000,000 people getting better and faster with our New York Times Bestselling books and keynote videos.
Jeremy Gutsche
Ignite your event or virtual event with our CEO, a NY Times Bestselling Author and one of the top innovation keynote speakers.
Our Team of Speakers & Virtual Presenters
Inspire your group with our most popular speakers on innovation, trends, change and futurism.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Custom Masterclasses
Join the world's leading brands who leverage our custom programs to accelerate innovation.
FuturistU 5-Day Program
Become a Futurist with our immersive 5-Day program at Future Festival World Summit.
Online eLearning
Learn the fundamentals of futurism and trends with 100+ online courses about innovation.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Contact
Get in touch to learn more, ask a question or submit a tip.
About Us
Learn more about Trend Hunter and how we accelerate innovation.
Follow-Us
Join our 3,500,000 social media followers, on the cutting edge.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
FAQ
Get answers to common questions about Trend Hunter.
Community
Stay on the cutting-edge with the help of the Trend Hunter community.
Team
Meet the team trusted by hundreds of leading businesses worldwide.
Jobs
Find opportunities to accelerate your career with the #1 Trend Firm.
News
Catch up on noteworthy Trend Hunter news and media mentions.
Join
Build a portfolio and put your trend-spotting abilities to the test.
Advertising
Supercharge your marketing by partnering with Trend Hunter.
Portfolio
Visit your public portfolio and browse your past articles.
Add a Trend
Write up an article and showcase your trend-spotting skills.
My Trends
Edit your articles and see how they stack up on the leaderboards.
Settings
Edit your profile, connect your social media accounts, and more.
Add a trend, customize your dashboard, or track topics.
Future Festival
Innovation Events
Join the world's top innovators at our in person events.
Free Webinars
Learn to innovate through chaos, navigate the new normal and maintain work culture from home.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Search our database of 459,692 cutting edge ideas.

Outsourced Messaging Apps

Miranda July's Somebody App Lets a Stranger Deliver Bad News for You

— August 29, 2014 — Tech
Sometimes there's just not a good way to deliver bad news, which is what makes Miranda July's 'Somebody' app great if you're too chicken to act as the bearer of bad news. With Somebody app, if you're looking to break up with your significant other, you can have a complete stranger serve as a stand-in for you, and deliver the heartbreaking message on your behalf.

Stand-in people are able to add actions to their messages to indicate things like a hug, a cry or a kiss. Although this app would be ideal for delivering bad news, or mending awkward situations, it could also be used for good, such as handing over the app so that a stranger can confess your love for someone for you.
Trend Themes
1. Outsourced Messaging Apps - The rise of messaging apps that outsource communication tasks to strangers presents disruptive innovation opportunities for personal and professional communication services.
2. Emotional Engagement Technology - The integration of emotional actions and gestures in messaging apps opens up disruptive innovation opportunities for creating more genuine and impactful digital interactions.
3. App-based Emotional Proxy Services - The emergence of app-based services that offer stand-in individuals to deliver emotional messages on behalf of users presents disruptive innovation opportunities for outsourcing various sensitive conversations.
Industry Implications
1. Communication Services - The rise of outsourced messaging apps presents disruptive innovation opportunities for communication service providers to offer additional value-added services by integrating stand-in message delivery options.
2. Digital Interaction Solutions - The development of messaging apps that integrate emotional actions and gestures creates disruptive innovation opportunities for companies in the digital interaction solutions industry to enhance user engagement and connection.
3. Emotional Proxy Service Providers - The growth of app-based emotional proxy services presents disruptive innovation opportunities for companies in the emotional assistance industry to cater to individuals seeking assistance with sensitive conversations.
3.3
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness