Category Archives: Bitcoin

Major Gliph Release Today

Today’s a big day, with major updates across every client on Gliph’s platform. We’ve created blog entries to support each aspect of the release, here’s a summary of each update along with a link.

Bitcoin has been Returned to the Gliph iOS Application
We’ve just released version 1.90 of the Gliph app, which was approved by Apple for the App Store late this last week. The release restores the ability to send Bitcoin between Gliph users, and adds the new capability of paying outside the Gliph network using QR codes.

New Desktop Web Application Now Available
Gliph now supports all modern web browsers with a brand new desktop web application. Whether you’re on a tablet, laptop or desktop computer you can now take advantage of everything Gliph has to offer.

Revamped Android Application
We’ve completely rebooted our Android application and it now stands in near-parity with our iOS application. We’re particularly pleased to bring this long awaited update to the Android platform.

The update includes a refreshed look, Secure Group Messaging support, Profile photos and a brand new QR code scanner. You can now use Gliph on Android to spend Bitcoin from your Coinbase or Blockchain wallet outside the Gliph network.

Introducing Secure Group Messaging
Gliph now supports secure group messaging across all of its existing clients and its new Desktop Web application. Group messaging offers the same data impermanence technology as Gliph’s existing 1-to-1 conversations.

Privacy Policy Update
With all of these product updates, we also took the time to make the first update to Gliph’s Privacy Policy since we first got started. Our entire team stands behind this policy, and it served as the basis for many of the features that Gliph continues to offer.

We improved the Privacy Policy by focusing on its readibility and clarifying language on how we handle personal data. We have a blog that explains every change in great detail, and encourage everyone to have a look.

Bitcoin Transfers Back into the Gliph iOS Application

Gliph, Bitcoin and Apple in a Love triangleThe Gliph core team is very pleased to announce that Bitcoin transfers have returned to the Gliph iOS mobile application. In today’s release, we have not only returned Bitcoin transfers between Gliph users, we’ve added the ability to scan QR codes and pay using Bitcoin.

Apple, Bitcoin and Gliph

The call from Apple Worldwide Developer Relations came just before Thanksgiving last year. Without much elaboration as to why, Apple told us the Gliph iOS app would need to remove the ability to send Bitcoin or risk being pulled from the App Store.

That event kicked off months of publicity in reaction to our blog post on the state of Bitcoin in the App Store and Google Play. The press feasted on the controversy of Apple’s behavior and Gliph became something of a poster-child for Bitcoin’s fight for mainstream acceptance.

If you wiped away the media hype, and focused on the appeal letter we made public, you would find the real reason why Apple should not have made that choice in the first place:

“By inhibiting the creation of Bitcoin apps Apple holds innovation back from the world. We are witnessing the dawn of a massive technological innovation. The potential impact of virtual currencies stretches further than any company or platform.”

Continue reading →

Introducing Gliph for Desktop Web


If you work with a desktop or laptop computer on a regular basis, you know how nice it can be to have an app designed for that lean-back experience. Gliph offers a fantastic Desktop Web experience when you visit the app from a tablet or desktop web browser: https://gli.ph/d

This full-screen experience gives you access to Gliph’s existing features, such as permanent message deletion, Bitcoin payments, and our award-winning privacy point tools. The Desktop Web App also includes support for new bells and whistles including Secure Group Messaging, Profile Photos, Retina Display support, and Chrome Desktop Notifications.

This guide walks through how to use the Desktop Web App.

Sign-up and Set Initial Facets
If you’re signing up for Gliph for the first time, you’ll see you can now set a Profile Photo. This is a new Facet type and may be set to globally public or private. (If private, you may still choose to share it with specific contacts or groups you belong to.)

Gliph desktop web app Continue reading →

Big Update to the Gliph Android Application

screenshot of the new Gliph Android app running on a Samsung android smartphoneToday we’ve released the biggest update to the Gliph Android app yet. We’re happy to announce it is now just about equal with the Gliph iPhone application in features, even goes beyond it in some cases. We want to thank all of our Android users for their patience while we brought it up to speed.

The new application is based on the new Gliph Mobile Web application, and joins the new Gliph Desktop Web and an updated Gliph iPhone application also released today.

Support for Secure Group Messaging
Gliph on Android now supports secure group messaging! You can use the app to assemble and manage your own groups from your existing contacts. You can also create a group and invite non-Gliph users to join at the time of creation. For more information about secure Group Messaging on Gliph please see this post.

QR code wallet address for donating to web comic xkcd

Donate to the XKCD web comic.

Scan and Pay QR-code Bitcoin Wallet Addresses
The new Gliph Android app now allows you to transfer Bitcoin outside Gliph’s network. This means that you can pay with Bitcoin at any business that accepts Bitcoin. Dell, Expedia and Newegg are just a few of the many businesses around the world that accept Bitcoin.

As before, you must attach a Coinbase or Blockchain wallet to your Gliph account in order to use the feature. You’ll find it in the Bitcoin screen, which you access using the menu. Simply tap Scan in the top right corner and the Gliph Android app will guide you through completing the payment. Continue reading →

Introducing Gliph for iOS 1.90

Screenshot of the new Activity View for Gliph for iOS version 1.90We’ve just released a fantastic update to the Gliph iPhone application which you can download the update from the App Store today!

The update, (version 1.90), is part of a larger release that includes an a new Gliph Android application and the introduction of a brand new Gliph Desktop Web app.

This is also Gliph’s first iOS release using ReactiveCocoa and Gliph’s new and improved backend system. You can read more about that effort here.  OK, on to the updates!

Bitcoin is Back

This is such important news, it has its own blog post. But let’s dig into exactly what the Gliph iOS App can do with Bitcoin. With the new Gliph iOS app you can:

  • Attach a Coinbase or Blockchain Bitcoin wallet to your Gliph account
  • View balance wallet and past transactions performed using Gliph
  • Send Bitcoin to any other Gliph user that also has a Bitcoin wallet attached
  • Send Bitcoin to any QR code Bitcoin wallet address using a new QR code scanner

Support for Secure Group Messaging

Screenshot of a group messaging conversationGliph now supports secure group messaging! That’s right, you can now assemble and manage your own groups on Gliph! In this version of the iOS app, you can participate in groups, though group creation needs to be done on the web.

For more information about secure Group Messaging on Gliph please see this post.

Profile and Group Photos

You can now add a Profile Photo facet as part of your Gliph profile. It has the same privacy options as other Gliph facets, like phone number or your name. You can have it be Public, Private or Private and shared with specific people or groups.

All new users are offered the ability to set a Profile Photo, but you can do this now by visiting the menu and choosing Profile.

Refreshed Activity View

The Activity View has been refreshed with a new message unread indicator and the display of Profile photos. The view should also refresh more quickly to accurately reflect the read status of the messages there.

Coming Soon

There are a few things we left out of 1.90 to get it out the door for you. This includes message delay and timed expiration. We also weren’t able to get the complete Create Group capability into this version, but you can still do that using the mobile web.  We plan to fill in these gaps, and continue to refine this experience over the next few releases.

Apple App Store Guidelines Update Adds Clarity on Bitcoin Transmission

ios app store apple bitcoin ios wwdc 2014Apple has unveiled a variety of updates across their software ecosystem at WWDC 2014, including changes to their App Store Review Guidelines. A particular passage has been identified as possibly positive for Bitcoin ecosystem developers:

Purchasing and Currencies
11.17 Apps may facilitate transmission of approved virtual currencies provided that they do so in compliance with all state and federal laws for the territories in which the app functions

This is a new item in section 11, Purchasing and currencies that was not in the last revision of the guidelines.

In addition to this change, the standard program agreement for iOS has a new additional term that is likely relevant to applications interested in offering Bitcoin functionality:

Use of the In-App Purchase API
2.2 You may not enable end-users to purchase Currency of any kind through the In-App Purchase API, including but not limited to any Currency for exchange, gifting, redemption, transfer, trading or use in purchasing or obtaining anything within or outside of Your Application.

“Currency” means any form of currency, points, credits, resources, content or other items or units recognized by a group of individuals or entities as representing a particular value and that can be transferred or circulated as a medium of exchange.”

Let’s dive into some analysis: Continue reading →

Nominate Gliph Best Mobile App for First Annual Blockchain Awards

Gliph is was in the running for the Bitcoin Foundation’s first annual Blockchain Awards.

The Blockchain Awards are being put on by the Bitcoin Foundation and Blockchain.info, and will be presented in Amsterdam at the upcoming Bitcoin 2014 conference. The awards cover a variety of categories, including Most Insightful Journalist, and Most Impactful Charity.

Nicolas Cary, CEO of Blockchain, explains that “with these awards we hope to take a moment and reflect on the amazing contributions from the Bitcoin community. We want to honor the exceptional quality, leadership, and technical innovation we see every day.”

Update: Mycelium Bitcoin Wallet for Android won this award! We think Mycelium team is also doing some really cool things and congratulate them on the win. The other finalist was Airbitz.

This New Gas Pump Lets You Pay with Bitcoin

Sit back and imagine a future where you pull up to a pump and pay for your gas using Bitcoin. This vision may be closer than you think. Thermo dynamics researcher, Bitcoin enthusiast and DIY pro, Andy Schroder, has just created the world’s first commercial-ready Bitcoin fuel pump.

Schroder built the machine from scratch, integrating components that would handle Bitcoin’s specific requirements, offer solid uptime and work within the national standards for dispensing fuel commercially.

From a distance, Schroder’s fuel pump looks like one you would find at a mom and pop style gas station; the size is a bit shorter than what you’d normally see at a 76 station today. But the small-town sentiment ends when you walk up to the machine.

The digital display on the front shows the current milli-Bitcoin-based market-rate for fuel at the time of purchase. Getting a fill-up is easy if you Continue reading →

The State of Bitcoin Mobile Applications in the App Store and Google Play

After seven months of availability, Apple has requested we remove the ability to send Bitcoin from the Gliph app. We have complied in our most recent release, Gliph for iOS 1.85. This blog entry focuses on the state of Bitcoin apps the Apple App Store and Google Play, and what happened to Bitcoin sending in the Gliph app.

What makes a Bitcoin Mobile app?
Most Bitcoin mobile apps include a mix of the following categories:

  • News and Information about Bitcoin ecosystem (e.g. ZeroBlock)
  • Market information (e.g. exchange price tickers, currency conversion, etc)
  • Mobile wallet access (wallet stored on device)
  • Native front-end controls to a cloud-based wallet (e.g. Gliph, Coinbase or Blockchain.info’s apps)

The most interesting mobile apps for Bitcoin are those that allow you to actually use the currency. Practical use of Bitcoin in mobile apps includes:

  • Ability to send and receive Bitcoin with QR codes, written wallet addresses or other means. (BTC transfer)
  • Ability to place buy and sell orders for Bitcoin (BTC trading)

Why is it important for there to be useful Bitcoin Apps
Bitcoin skeptics don’t see the proof-of-work from mining as a good reason for there to be significant value in the currency. Instead, the focus is on whether Bitcoin has value because it is a generally accepted form of payment for goods and services. Continue reading →

New Gliph for iOS 7 Changes Bitcoin Support, Overhauls Design and More

We’re launching a new version of Gliph for iOS 7 today with a raft of updates that make Gliph more useful and easier to use. But first, some important news about Bitcoin.

Bitcoin Updates

  • We were asked by Apple to remove the ability to send Bitcoin from the iOS app. We fought to keep it in but it was not possible. You can read more about what happened in a special blog entry we wrote about mobile apps in the App Store and Google Play.You can still create wallets, view balances and receive Bitcoin in the Gliph app for iOS send Bitcoin using Gliph on iPhone, using the same interface as before. Just visit https://gli.ph/m when you need to send Bitcoin, and continue using the app for normal push notifications and messaging.
  • We removed the option to create or attach a wallet from european wallet provider BIPS, which has decided to shutter its consumer-facing Bitcoin wallet service in the wake of a security breach.
  • Usually, there is cool news about Bitcoin and Gliph but not in this release. Hang with us, we are in it to win it with Bitcoin. This is just the pre-season. Gliph’s implementation of Bitcoin will come back harder, faster and stronger no matter the platform.

Miscellaneous Updates

We’ve made a raft of improvements across the Gliph iOS app:

  • gliph delete conversation IM text security privacyYou can now log into Gliph for iOS using your email address on your account. (Previously you were required to log in using your Gliph username)
  • You can now delete all messages in a conversation from the activity view. That’s right, just swipe a conversation to the right and choose Delete Messages. Learn more about permanent message deletion on Gliph.
  • You now tap the information button in the title bar to view connection settings and choose a tag for a connection.

Design Updates for iOS 7

Apple made bold choices with design themes in iOS 7. In the new Gliph app for iOS, we’ve sought to embrace them. Design geeks read on! Continue reading →