Company Profile: SHAPE Services GmbH (Now SHAPE.AG)
SHAPE Services GmbH, officially headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, is a prominent independent software vendor (ISV) and web-based services provider with a global reach. While originally known as SHAPE Services, the company officially rebranded to SHAPE.AG (Apps&Games) in March 2012. The entity remains a key developer in the mobile and cross-platform software space, concentrating on applications for instant messaging, productivity, social networking, and remote access. The company's focus aligns directly with the user-specified category of "Email and Electronic messaging," primarily through its flagship communication and messaging products.
Continue…Core Business and Activities
The primary function of SHAPE Services GmbH is the development and distribution of cross-platform software applications for a multitude of operating systems. The company's strategy revolves around creating applications that enhance mobile and desktop productivity and communication by aggregating services or providing unique utility functions.
The company develops solutions across several key areas:
* Instant Messaging and Communication: Creating unified messaging solutions that allow users to connect to multiple third-party services through a single application.
* Productivity and Utility: Developing tools that streamline business processes, such as digitizing contact information and extending desktop capabilities to mobile devices.
* Remote Access and Display: Providing applications that enable remote control of computers or utilize mobile devices as secondary displays.
* Mobile Software Development: As a cross-platform vendor, SHAPE historically developed for a wide array of mobile platforms, including Apple iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone/Windows Mobile, Symbian S60, UIQ, J2ME, and HP/Palm webOS. Their current focus is on modern ecosystems like iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows.
Products and Services Portfolio
The companyâ??s portfolio is defined by several successful and widely-used applications, often featured by major mobile platform providers:
1. IM+ (Instant Messenger)
IM+ is the company's most recognized and flagship product, directly addressing the "Electronic messaging" category. It is a multiprotocol, multiplatform mobile instant messenger aggregator.
* Functionality: IM+ allows users to connect to and manage multiple social media and instant messaging accounts from a single interface. Historically, this included services like MSN/Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, AOL/ICQ, Google Talk, Jabber, and Skype.
* Evolution: The current version of IM+ continues to evolve, now integrating modern features such as ChatGPT support to enhance the messaging experience, allowing for conversational AI assistance directly within the application.
* Versions: The core product is available for multiple platforms, including dedicated versions like IM+ Web, which offers a multiprotocol instant messenger accessible through a web browser.
2. Productivity and Business Applications
SHAPE Services also focuses heavily on enterprise and personal productivity tools:
- Business Card Reader (BCR): This is an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) utility application designed to instantly process and digitize information from physical business cards. It captures and saves contact details directly into the device's address book, serving as a critical tool for networking and contact management.
- iDisplay: An application that enables users to use their devices (such as an Android or iOS tablet/smartphone) as a secondary monitor for their Windows or Mac computer. This extends desktop workspace and enhances multi-tasking capabilities.
- Barcode Reader: A utility application focused on scanning and interpreting various barcode formats.
3. Remote Access and Utilities
- RDM+ (Remote Desktop for Mobile): A multiplatform application that provides remote access capabilities, allowing users to control their desktop or laptop computer directly from their mobile device. This is a crucial service for IT professionals and users needing to manage files or run applications remotely.
- Mobiola: A suite of multimedia and utility applications that often included tools like WebCamera (using a mobile phone camera as a webcam for a computer) and xPlayer (a media player).
4. Location-Based and Other Utilities
- GPSed: A location-based service application that allowed users to record, share, and track their geographical position.
- CheckIn+/CheckIn Pro: An augmented reality application designed to overlay a user's current surroundings with data from geolocation services, enabling users to see and identify notable destinations relative to their position in the real world.
- Chat for GTalk: A monoclient instant messenger application specifically for Google Talk/Google+ services.
In summary, SHAPE Services GmbH (SHAPE.AG) built its foundation and continues to operate as a leading mobile software developer, with its messaging product IM+ defining its core competency in electronic messaging, complemented by a strong line of productivity applications like Business Card Reader and iDisplay. The company's history is one of successfully adapting to a rapidly changing mobile landscape, consistently delivering applications used by millions of users worldwide.
