Retro: Time-Travel Through Your Camera Roll - Photo Sharing for Friends

Retro App Introduces "Rewind" for Personal Photo Time Travel

Retro, a photo-sharing application focused on connections with friends, boasting approximately one million users, is launching a new feature. This addition allows users to revisit past photo memories directly from their phone's camera roll.

Currently, the app facilitates sharing photos of current experiences with a select group of friends and creating collaborative albums. However, “Rewind” offers a distinctly personal experience, with the option to share memories at the user’s discretion.

Inspired by Existing Popularity

Nathan Sharp, Retro’s co-founder, explains that the concept for Rewind stemmed from an already successful feature within the app.

Users can currently access a card at the end of their weekly friend-shared photo feed. This card provides a glimpse into their own photos from the same week one year prior.

However, this functionality was initially unavailable to new users. They hadn’t yet accumulated enough uploaded photos to benefit from the photo memories feature.

Addressing Photo Volume and Engagement

“New users were unable to experience this form of memory exploration,” states Sharp. He previously spent over six years at Meta, contributing to products like Instagram Stories and Facebook Dating, before co-founding Retro with Ryan Olson, the company’s CTO, in 2022.

“We also observed a trend where people are taking more photos than ever before, yet actively engaging with fewer of them. It’s as if many photos simply disappear unnoticed,” he added.

A Counterbalance to AI-Driven Feeds

This new feature represents a deliberate shift away from the increasing prevalence of AI-generated content and algorithm-driven “for you” feeds.

“As engagement with these platforms grows, a fundamental need will emerge – the desire to connect with friends,” says Sharp. “Personal photos and videos require a dedicated space to reach their intended audience.”

Boosting User Interaction

With almost 46% of Retro’s user base actively using the app daily, the Rewind feature is anticipated to further increase engagement.

Users can access Rewind either through the shared photo feed, beyond the “this week in” card, or via its prominent placement as the central tab in the bottom navigation bar.

Upon launching, a haptic feedback response accompanies the screen as it cycles through older photos from the user’s camera roll. These memories remain private, but users can easily share them with friends or post them online.

Interactive Memory Exploration

Users have the option to hide unwanted photos, such as those of former partners, or utilize a “dice” icon to jump to a random memory.

A subtle vibration accompanies each new memory as the iPod-inspired dial simulates time travel. Users can spin the dial to navigate through months and years of photos, pausing to view or share specific moments.

Pressing and holding a photo displays it uncropped. Shared photos include a timestamp to indicate they are not recent.

What Photos Are Included?

While screenshots are excluded, other photos – including those of receipts or work whiteboards – are included, as they may still hold personal significance. Deleting a photo within the app also removes it from the user’s camera roll.

A Familiar Concept, Reimagined

The concept of revisiting older photo memories is not entirely new.

Previously, Timehop gained popularity by allowing users to revisit past photos through a mobile app. Facebook later implemented a similar feature called “On This Day,” and photo services like Google Photos and Apple Photos also added memories functionalities.

Differentiation from Competitors

Sharp believes Retro offers a distinct experience. Facebook has increasingly prioritized links, news, and advertisements over friends’ content. Apple and Google’s photo apps are generally perceived as utilities for photo management and storage, rather than social platforms like Retro.