A new chat facility - FireChat - makes use of a new feature in IOS7, Apple's new operating system, that enables phones to communicate directly without the use of cellular networks using Bluetooth or Wifi. To do so, they must be within range, which means for Bluetooth about 12 feet and for Wifi about 100 feet, depending on the strength of the network.
However, phones beyond range can connect using a technique called mesh networking, where phones can connect through a series of devices within range of each other. Such mesh networks could theoretically extend for very long distances.
Since cell phone charges can be quite expensive, some would say exorbitantly so, there is a good chance that if mesh networking works well, it will be popular. For those companies, it could be disruption to their comfortable lives - a true disruptive technology.
Check here for a story on FireChat.
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