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iPhone users are switching to Android because they want to use this app that can kill 'out-of-office' messages

Sep 24, 2015, 19:00 IST

Truecaller CEO and co-founder Alan MamediTruecaller

Truecaller CEO Alan Mamedi has managed to convince several friends - all of which were "deep Apple fans" - to switch to Android because of just how good the combination of his apps are.

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That's because one of the Swedish company's apps, Truedialer, is only available on Android right now. The company has just added a new function to the app, which has effectively killed off the need to ever set your "out-of-office" notifications again.

Right now it's only Android users who can currently use its three apps - Truecaller, Truemessenger, and Truedialer - in tandem. And some of Mamedi's friends just can't seem to wait for that experience to make it to iOS.

Truedialer uses Truecaller's platform to add a name and even a photo to an unknown contact as you punch in a new number to make a call. The platform has a global directory of millions of numbers, which its first app (also called Truecaller) uses to screen and block unwanted calls. It can identify who's calling - like your bank or a telemarketer - even if that number isn't stored in your phonebook.

Truemessenger tells you who sent a text even if they're not on your contact list, and automatically blocks spam messages too.

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Now Truedialer users can check the availability of the person they are trying to call before dialing. For this to work, both users need to have the app set as their default dialling app. Then, the app syncs with the user's calendar, and puts a little red dot next to their name if they are in a meeting or on holiday. The app can also tell if they are on a call or have their phone on silent. The person trying to reach them can then choose to be notified when they are available again or send them a message.

Truecaller

"We saw that the most-used communication channel on your phone - which is still messaging and calls - was missing the most crucial component," Mamedi told Business Insider. "It needed an identity platform so you know who the person calling you is. On all other networks, like email, there's always an identity attached."

"Phone communication in general has been broken since day zero. So with Truecaller we wanted to let people know who is calling them and how they are connected to that person. That makes it so much easier to make a decision on whether the call is important to them or not. But with outbound calls it's essential to know whether the person you're trying to reach is available or not. Because usually when you call someone and they miss it they forget to call you back. That's a problem."

While the company uses several data points to check someone's availability, Mamedi says it never holds that data. "Everything happens on the client itself," he said.

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Truedialer has been downloaded 10 million times in just over a year since it was first launched, the company says. The Truecaller app has 150 million downloads to date and is increasing by 300,000 users every day. Over 60% of the company's monthly active users use their apps every day.

The company raised $60 million (£39 million) in 2014 from investors including Atomico and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. Mamedi and Nami Zarringhalam founded the company in 2009.

Truedialer is currently free, but the Truecaller app does have some premium features. Mamedi didn't share the company's revenues, but promised that we'll see more on how Truecaller plans to monetise its apps next year.

"Hopefully we'll be launching Truedialer for the iPhone in the near future," he also said.

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