Port Washington native John Meyer is app happy and it is paying off for him.
Meyer, who graduated from Schreiber High School last June, has just created his 45th mobile app. Under his company, TapMedia, LLC, Meyer has already generated over four million downloads from the various apps, he said.
People use Meyer’s apps for everything from improving productivity to entertainment. An app is a small, specialized program downloaded onto mobile devices that allows the user to add additional capabilities to their smartphones.
His latest app takes on the problem of taking a group photo with an iPhone or iPad only to discover that someone had their eyes closed or has shifted. “Perfect Shot” is a free app that uses advanced face detection technology to recognize each individual set of eyes and smiles in a group photo to take one single “perfect shot.”
Perfect Shot has gotten 70,000 downloads in its first two weeks, appealing to iPhone users who are constantly demanding innovative, new ways to use their iPhones, Meyer said. While the app is free to download, Meyer makes his money by charging users for upgrades to his apps.
Meyer got interested in apps through his longtime interest in technology. For his senior project at Schreiber, he worked on an app that was related to the school. The app had the school calendar in mobile form, a database of all the teachers that allowed students to easily get in touch with them, and a notification system that allowed teachers and administrators to get information out to students and parents.
He said he is continuing to work with Schreiber to finalize development and make the app more available to the Schreiber school body.
“My main drive, besides the fact I love technology, is the fact I can create something that can get into the hands of millions of people,” Meyer said.
He is most proud of Perfect Shot, which ensures a single, flawless group shot every time via three steps that the app processes in hundredths of a second. Users hold up their iPhone or iPad and get ready to take a group photo. Perfect Shot automatically counts how many people are in the frame and detects each individual’s eyes and smile. When everyone in the group is ready with a smile and open eyes, the app automatically takes a single, perfect photo.
Meyer was caught by surprise when he received an email from a user who works with blind and visually impaired people. “I wanted to say thank you for making this app. I work with [smartphones] at my job, and frequently work with low vision/blind customers who I believe will greatly benefit with this app. I love it,” said user Nicole Vieau.
According to Meyer, additional accessibility features are being added to the app, such as a voice that allows the app to communicate what is on the screen to a blind person. An example of something the app will say is, “There are now five people being detected in the frame. Three people are not yet smiling.”
Meyer added that 25% of all profits from Perfect Shot are being donated to DevFund, a charity he started that gives app developers around the world a way to give back to the community.
