Rewind, a pioneering startup focused on personal data recording and supported by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), has recently introduced its much-anticipated iPhone app.
This innovative application allows users to privately record their activities on Safari, enabling them to later ask questions based on their web browsing history.
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Unlike conventional data recording apps, Rewind respects user privacy by refraining from recording any activity during incognito mode browsing.
In the past year, Rewind gained significant attention with the release of its Mac app, which records compressed video formats of users’ daily activities on Apple Silicon-based Macs.
The recorded data serves as a comprehensive archive that allows users to ask specific questions, such as identifying participants in a Zoom meeting.
Moreover, the startup’s technology extends to locating specific websites visited on Chrome based on the page’s content. It is important to note that Rewind’s data processing remains localized within the user’s system, prioritizing data security.
The recently launched iOS app follows a similar lane, focusing solely on recording activity within Safari. To offer a more tailored experience, users can customize settings to prevent data recording on specific pages.
Furthermore, Rewind employs text recognition, enabling users to search for particular terms and access relevant screenshots and browsing history from Safari.
Notably, the app seamlessly integrates with GPT-4, enabling users to ask complex questions such as retrieving specific mentions or refreshing memories about personal connections.
Leveraging their expertise from the Mac app, Rewind employs a cutting-edge compression algorithm for video data, reducing the data’s size by up to 3,750 times, thus optimizing storage space on the iPhone.
Concerns about battery consumption were addressed by co-founder Dan Siroker, who revealed that the app had only utilized 4% of battery within 24 hours on his device.
Nonetheless, older iPhones might experience different battery usage, prompting Rewind to develop tailored algorithms for Apple devices to enhance power efficiency.
A critical aspect of Rewind’s app lies in its commitment to user privacy. The company emphasizes that all user data is stored solely on the device and is never sold or utilized to train AI models.
With substantial backing from investors like a16z and First Round Capital, Rewind has raised an impressive $10 million at a valuation of $75 million.
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Initially available as a free Mac app, the company has now introduced paid plans to offer enhanced access beyond the initial 50 Rewinds. The company adopts a straightforward approach, considering one session of history traversal or search as one “Rewind.”
Similarly, each question posed through GPT-4 integration also counts as a “Rewind.” Notably, Rewind aims to continue offering the iOS app for free, prioritizing accessibility and user experience.