Recently we had an opportunity to speak with Matt Svetlak, the Vice President of Product at iScanner at BP Mobile (AIBY Group) about iScanner
Please share with us the backstory of what motivated you to create this app.
The history of iScanner began in 2015 when BP Mobile (AIBY Group) uploaded the first version of the app to the App Store. In 2016, the app became available on the Play Market.
When the company searched for products to optimize internal processes and document management, there were no reliable scanning apps on the market. We decided to create such an app ourselves. Over time, we integrated artificial intelligence into iScanner, which improved the quality of document scans.
What features do you hope to roll out to your app in the future?
We plan to implement several AI-based features to remove even more distortions that make documents unusable. As we studied user feedback, we noticed that a lot of them want to get a possibility to remove fingers from scanned documents. When users scan documents, they might not notice that their fingers are in the frame. But when they view the scan, they realize that they can't send it like this and waste time making new ones. We'll help them remove the finger image from the scan in one tap.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of the creation of this app?
We work hard to make sure that with the help of iScanner, users can get PRO documents on their mobile phones effortlessly and sustainably. iScanner replaces the whole cycle of work with documents on the computer and helps cut paper use.
Our team constantly receives grateful reviews from the users. They tell us how iScanner helped them scan a document quickly and efficiently and send it to clients or colleagues. Thanks to professional scans, users win the trust of clients, get promoted at work, quickly fill out tax forms, sign contracts, scan notes, checks, tickets, and even sheet music. Such feedback increases the motivation of the entire team and makes us feel proud of our product.
What is the coolest or most innovative feature of your app?
We implement cutting-edge technologies and our own solutions in the app to facilitate any kind of work with documents for our users.
In-house technologies allow us to offer more opportunities to users than our competitors. For example, in September, we implemented our own algorithm for correcting distortions in scanned documents. The new feature allows users to avoid distortions when scanning a book spread from a voluminous tome, folded paper, skewed page, or crooked image.
Developing in-house technologies is hard, but it gives our product a competitive edge in the long run.
What surprised you most in your journey to create this app?
My experience as Product Manager helped me see that what matters the most is respect for both the team and users. Be honest with them and with yourself, even when things don't go according to plan. Be sure to explain your decisions and actions and remain open to discussion. This will help you make smarter decisions and allow your team to understand what is behind each decision, feel involved, and choose the best way to implement ideas.
Which other mobile apps or technology have inspired you?
Many of Apple's mobile technologies offer truly interesting opportunities for developers. The most striking ones that first come to mind are related to Computer Vision. RoomPlan and Vision framework are among them. These are comprehensive and powerful tools that allow developers to solve a wide range of tasks built on new intensive technologies easier and make the most of mobile devices' capabilities.
As a consumer, I like to see improved accessibility and easy implementation of different ideas in mobile development. This is the obvious driver of global progress, which is becoming available to a larger number of people.
Do you have any recommendations or advice for others wanting to create a mobile app?
It's vital to study the product and determine the long-term development directions. At some point, you get used to the product's current capabilities, the state of the market, and the competitors. At that point, it may seem that almost nothing else can be implemented and you can reduce the resources, leaving the project with just enough for maintenance. This stage and the decisions you make could be very dangerous in the long run. It's vital to study the product and market carefully. Try to consider long-term prospects and take into account the direction of technology development for several years to come.
How did you decide which platforms to release your app on and do you plan on releasing your app to other platforms?
As I mentioned earlier, today, iScanner is available on two platforms. Usually, we release new features for iOS, analyze the users' feedback, and then release them for Android. Thus, iOS users can evaluate new features quicker, but generally, the app's functionality is the same on both platforms.
How is your app different than the rest of the market? Which unique need does it fill?
iScanner is one of the leaders in its niche. More than 90 million people have entrusted it with their paperwork. The key to success is more than continuous improvement of scanning quality. We provide users with a wide range of tools for working with scans, from adding signatures and text to correcting distortions. Thanks to our app, a scanned document often looks better than the original or one made with a stationary scanner.
Apart from that, about a year ago, we went completely ad-free.