Draft:Daze (app)

Daze

Developer(s)	Marble Media Inc.
Written in	Java Script React Native
Available in	English
Type	AI-powered instant messaging
License	Freeware
Website	daze.chat

Daze is an AI-powered, freestyle app messaging application for iOS and Android Developed by New York-based entrepreneur Willem Simons, Daze is set to launch on November 4, 2024, and is positioned as an innovative alternative to traditional messaging platforms such as iMessage and WhatsApp. The app allows users to send creatively designed messages using a wide range of multimedia elements, including photos, stickers, GIFs, and drawings.

Overview

Daze gained widespread attention prelaunch through viral TikTok videos showcasing the app’s unique interactive features. The most popular TikTok video reached 8 million views, and the app’s combined social media views across TikTok and Instagram totaled 48 million as of October 2024. In these videos, users demonstrated Daze’s features, such as the ability to draw, add stickers, and play games directly within chats, resonating with younger audiences.

The app has accumulated over 156,000 sign-ups on its waitlist prior to its public release. Daze aims to compete with established messaging platforms by offering a fun and highly customizable user experience, incorporating AI-driven tools to enhance message creativity.

Features

Daze offers a variety of creative tools that allow users to personalize their messages with multimedia elements. Users can send messages with customized fonts, colors, and images, or interact with their chats by dragging messages across the screen. In addition, Daze utilizes AI to power some of these creative tools, making it easier for users to customize and enhance their conversations. The app is designed to appeal to Generation Z users, emphasizing flexibility and creative freedom in messaging.

Development

The concept behind Daze builds on earlier work from Simons, who had previously co-developed *Muze*, an app that also focused on free-form messaging and creative expression. After Muze was discontinued in 2022, Simons began working on Daze, which initially started as a social calendar app before evolving into its current form as a messaging platform. The app was built using React Native to ensure simultaneous launch on both iOS and Android.

As of October 2024, Daze had approximately 1,400 invite-only beta testers. Early reports from these tests indicate promising engagement metrics, with a 60-day retention rate of over 50% among users who had sent messages.

Reception and funding

Daze has quickly gained attention on social media platforms, particularly TikTok, where videos showcasing its features have gone viral. Its unique approach to messaging, blending creativity with functionality, has resonated with its target audience, particularly users aged 13 to 22.

Ahead of its official launch, Daze secured $5.7 million in funding from notable investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, Kindred Ventures, and Betaworks, among others. The app is developed by a small team of seven full-time employees, based largely in New York.

Launch

Daze is scheduled for public release on November 4, 2024, with plans to launch on both iOS and Android platforms. The app’s viral success on social media and its focus on creative, AI-powered messaging tools position it as a potential major player in the messaging app market, especially among younger users seeking more personalized and interactive communication options.

References

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Categories:

• Android (operating system) software
• iOS software
• Instant messaging clients