As a military wife, I’m used to my husband having to leave at a moment's notice. It’s nice to be able to Facetime, text and call each other but it can still get pretty lonely at times. One app has set out to help couples stay together and feel closer through private and direction communication and it’s known simply as Couple.
Couple may seem familiar to some as it is the rebranded version of a former app known as Pair. The app is designed just for two. To get started, users can take their photo if desired and sign up with a name, email and password. Then just simply pair up with a partner by entering their email. It’s possible to also send a quick video along with the invitation, but it’s completely optional.
Once paired with a partner, users can immediately begin communicating through text messaging. Tapping on the plus button reveals even more options like sharing videos and photos, drawing sketches, sending audio messages, sending "Thinking of You" clouds and even sharing their location. The app also comes with two interactive functions that are fun but also a little corny. There’s Thumbkiss where one user can see where their partner places their thumb on the screen, and when they touch it with their thumb the devices vibrate. In addition to sketching, there’s also a Live Sketch feature where users can draw in real-time.
Those who prefer face-to-face conversations can open up Facetime directly inside the app by tapping on the upper right corner. There’s even more personalized features included within Couple like Dates that records birthdays, anniversaries and other important days and a Lists area where couples can make To-Do lists that both partners can edit.
Users don’t have to worry about scrolling through their conversations to reminisce because the app can store all sketches, photos, video and other media into a collection that is stored in Moments. This sections allows users to save the media to the iPhone or copy it to the clipboard. The media can also be deleted at any time. Speaking of deleted media, there’s also a Secrets and Self-destruct mode for private photos that can be set to disappear once viewed.
Couple offers an entertaining and more personal way to stay connected. While it could use more features to give it an edge over other native iOS apps that virtually do the same thing, it’s still a neat way to stay in touch with loved ones privately. It’s worth exploring if one can get past some of the novelty features.