Photosharing App Kabutar: Indian Developers Answer to Instagram

Developer and entrepreneur, Shubhendu Sharma, co-founder, Kabutar talks about the gaps in photosharing applications like Instagram & Path, and his attempts to address these issues via his app Kabutar. Kabutar, currently, is available for download on iPhone & Android.In this conversation with YourStory.in, Shubhendu runs us through the various features of Kabutar, and how it lets you do “more” with your photos!

Edited Excerpts:

“Kabutar” sounds like fun, what is it all about?

Kabutar is a photo sharing app that’s launching soon for iPhone & Android. It is in closed beta currently, and is available only by invite. Kabutar is seed funded by CIIE, IIM-Ahmedabad, and is based out of Bangalore.

Photo sharing apps in the market today like Instagram or Path are solely focused on sharing memories with friends. They are doing the photo sharing job perfectly fine. Kabutar differs in its approach by tying a broad set of use cases around photographs. We believe photos are a rich tool for conversation. Imagine what all you could do with a photo you ever clicked? If you can imagine, Kabutar can do it for you! If you own an iPhone or an Android, or just have access to web, Kabutar is available for you to try.

Can you tell us in detail about the features of Kabutar?

The “Daily” feature of Kabutar helps users take a photo of themselves everyday and set that as their display picture/status message on a variety of social networks. It also creates an awesome time-lapse video of how they’ve changed over a period of time. The “Photos” feature helps users make their photos beautiful through a series of filters that they can apply and then share with friends. The “Q & A” feature allows users to ask friends and followers any question from “How does this dress look’” to “Where can I buy a lamp that looks like this”. The “4Sale” feature is a simple classifieds section that allows users to quickly and easily take a photo of an item they want to sell and post it online. Kabutar makes it extremely easy to share all your photo content on Facebook & Twitter too.

When did you start building the app?

We started developing in May 2011.

Why did you begin with iPhone and Android? Which other platforms can we expect Kabutar to be launched on next? iPhone release will be followed by Android. Blackberry and Windows Mobile are next in queue. Statistics show that iPhone users are early adopters. iPhone users are more open to experimenting new apps. Apple distribution network is also very solid. And needless to say, their hardware is top-notch. Android has a clear market share in India. With Android market place growing, we can’t afford to miss out on Android users. Also, Android hardware is getting better day by day.

How do you plan to monetize the app?

The app is currently free to download. We see Kabutar as a great venue through which brands can engage visually with their customers and encourage them to submit original, user-generated content. The revenue model remains subjective until we test the waters.

What are your challenges as a mobile app developer in India?

Pushing an app in Indian mobile space is a big challenge. Users are yet to open up to trying out new cool apps. Though the mindset is certainly changing.

How has the response been so far for the beta launch?

We had over 100 signups for beta within two days after the launch.

Try www.kabutar.in and submit your feedback, you stand a chance to win a brand new Apple iPhone 4!

It would be interesting for us to keep a track of how Kabutar gets received in India in the months to come. We shall keep you posted.