Yongjae Chuh, co-founder and CTO of iSharingSoft, shared insights into the company’s vision and growth strategy in a recent Q&A, highlighting how the location-sharing app balances safety, privacy, and user autonomy. iSharing, which has grown to serve over 60 million users globally since its 2011 launch, differentiates itself through proprietary battery optimization that consumes only 1% of device battery over 24 hours, high-accuracy tracking for all movement types, and comprehensive privacy controls.
Chuh emphasized that the team’s personal experiences drive product decisions. “Our team is made up of people living the same experiences as our users – parents with kids, university students, young adults in relationships, and people living abroad with elderly parents back home,” he said. This perspective led to features like inactivity alerts, which provide peace of mind without being intrusive, and emergency SOS alerts that capture a 10-second audio recording and send it with location to emergency contacts only when activated.
Privacy remains central to iSharing’s architecture. The platform uses end-to-end encryption, regular security audits, and requires explicit approval for all connections. Users can set granular sharing permissions, and teenagers can control their own privacy settings to avoid authoritarian dynamics. “This approach ensures intentional sharing rather than default connectivity,” Chuh noted.
In the US market, iSharing sees distinct usage patterns compared to Asia. American users embrace diverse applications, including higher adoption of iPad and web versions, and social uses like college roommates using nearby alerts for dorm privacy. Driving-related features are particularly important due to car-dependent lifestyles. Chuh explained that the company’s US marketing emphasizes user autonomy alongside safety benefits, adapting strategies based on local needs.
Looking ahead, iSharing plans to integrate with IoT devices, wearables, and smart city infrastructure, while expanding AI capabilities for pattern recognition and anomaly detection. “We anticipate AI-driven risk identification and prevention, along with deeper integration with emergency services,” Chuh said. The company’s priorities for the next year include continuing safety feature development, emphasizing driving-related features and emergency support, and building awareness through strategic partnerships.
Chuh concluded that location-sharing technology is becoming essential infrastructure for modern families, enabling proactive safety measures and supporting aging-in-place initiatives. iSharing’s commitment to user privacy and technological advantages positions it to lead in the evolving industry.
