Meet Wrinkles, an app that uncovers the hidden stories of the places around you
Wrinkles, available on both iOS and Android, essentially acts as an AI-powered audio tour guide that reveals hidden history and local stories. A new app called Wrinkles uses your location to automatically surface stories about the places around you. The idea behind the app is to allow you to move through the world while hearing the places around you come to life without having to stare at your phone.
Key Takeaways
- As you explore, Wrinkles can tell you the secrets behind a building, the history of a street, and other local lore.
Wrinkles was founded by David Stemler, a longtime advertising executive, and Ryan Hansan, who previously founded ScratchDC, a meal delivery service, and TasteLab, a shared commercial kitchen that helped independent food businesses launch and grow.
- Although he believed the app was well designed, Stemler found the experience frustrating.
"I spent the entire visit heads-down, matching numbers on the walls to lists on my phone instead of taking in my surroundings while learning about them," Stemler told TechCrunch in an email.
- Users can discover these stories as they move through the world or explore them remotely by searching and browsing the map.
To make the experience feel like a traditional tour, users can ask questions as they explore.
- Hansan and Stemler see Wrinkles as more than a travel app.
While it can help spontaneous travelers discover the stories behind new places, they believe it's also designed for people who want to learn more about the buildings they pass every day or rediscover their own hometown.
- Wrinkle's revenue primarily comes from the supply side, with museums, tourism boards, universities, and hotels using Wrinkles to create location-based experiences for visitors without having to build their own apps.
Stats & Key Facts
- #3 million Wrinkles, or points of interest, across 177 countries.
Wrinkles, available on both iOS and Android, essentially acts as an AI-powered audio tour guide that reveals hidden history and local stories. A new app called Wrinkles uses your location to automatically surface stories about the places around you. Wrinkles, available on both iOS and Android , essentially acts as an AI-powered audio tour guide that reveals hidden history and local stories.
The idea behind the app is to allow you to move through the world while hearing the places around you come to life without having to stare at your phone. As you explore, Wrinkles can tell you the secrets behind a building, the history of a street, and other local lore. Wrinkles was founded by David Stemler, a longtime advertising executive, and Ryan Hansan, who previously founded ScratchDC, a meal delivery service, and TasteLab, a shared commercial kitchen that helped independent food businesses launch and grow.
The pair have known each other since middle school and say travel has always been a defining part of their friendship. They began taking trips abroad together as teenagers and continue to travel together today, now with their families. Over the years, many of their business ideas have grown out of long conversations while traveling and questioning how the experiences around them could be improved.
For more details please read the original article at TechCrunch AI.
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