I feel like people might be wary to carry their phones with them out of the house, if messages and contacts are able to be read by anyone who steals their phone. Maybe Messages and Contacts could be added to the same biometrics function as the WSB app?
What if, when you purchased an app from the store, there were a variety of extra security options you could get for an additional fee(or that a clever decker could add to an app for cheaper). These options might include things like a bio-lock, as svetlana mentions above, where the app can't be accessed except by the biometrics of the person who installed it(or a good-enough decker), or things like a database backup, that links the apps you've chosen, and paid for(either to the store or to a decker), are backed up to an account based on your biometrics, allowing you to load them onto a new phone for a nominal cost, lower than purchasing them all over again(which offers an option to make carrying around a phone loaded with a ton of apps a less risky option).
Adding Strategery or other similar apps is mostly as an option for entertainment when waiting for something, the potential of digital gambling linked to your bank account, or just to give people more reason to complain about everyone being on their phones.
Cloud data storage, by NLM!
This solves the problem of people who can't be around during certain rerun times ever and opens up more content creation consumption for people with limited playtime to be able to watch on their time/availability. It could pull from finalized and stored shows/films already in the database, though something would need to be considered for new episodes that're scheduled to play but haven't aired yet.
I'm not calling for the progia to serve as any other television/screen type device, but I know we've had people calling for an on demand option for NLM content and I think this could make this a unique reality, depending on how the game wants to say progia screens act (are they all more old nokia esque type 2000s phones or can they end up showing media).
i.e. 383-CHEX, NLM-SUXX, etc.
This got me thinking... What about some kind of biometric deadman's switch app?
If someone steals your phone, they need to do a factory reset on it to consider making it usable again. Otherwise they're locked out indefinitely... Unless they hire a decker to unlock it somehow.
This would be a good way for phones to snowball apps over time, a good way for people to get revenge (fuck you, dips and bricks your phone), and create more value for deckers.
An app that detects which bars have PC personnel active (online & in the vicinity of the bar) / NPC personnel being puppeted.
Potentially, also, a runner app.
Would be basically a cloud storage system.
A list of songs recorded from the past and present (and more added in the future) of NLM musicians to buy the ringtone of from an official app.
And then on the black market, notable songs from Mix musicians who aren't signed to NLM could be purchased.
IMO a way to go an extra step to add more preservation but also interactive options with the music created by PCs across all sectors and a fun way to both customize your progia as well as support your favorite musicians.
Just want to make it clear that we do want to set a line on what kind of apps we won't see. Things that completely replace the functioning of other items in game are not gonna be implemented after discussion with staff. For instance, replicating the usecases of the Grid-Terms through the phone is not something we are interested in.
In our cyberpunk world, you're meant to buy lots of gadgets!
Integrations and the like I think are fine, but something that completely replaces it without the payoff I don't think is.
Group chats!
Also customizable cases, maybe just for artists to give them an extra business venture. (or not, either or) Also maybe phone case stickers.. or that could be part of the customizable ones.
There should definitely be basic cases too, in different price ranges.
Come on, don't tell me you don't want the richest corpos buying the diamond-encased phone cases. Or have VS rep their company with the special VS-exclusive case. Or even gangers with their turf logo on.
Or just a single unique case for every fucking outfit in your closet because You're Worth It (TM).
Let me be unique and show off my sexy phone case. Since phones look the same, this is a necessity. Basically.
The Feed app. Be it built in or cost maybe 1000c. Lets you read the last few messages of The Feed in game, not all of it, and allows you to post to The Feed.
If it is free or cheap it's more likely to be on phones.
It allows more open connection, but in a slower form than SIC and could maybe be accessed even when out of sicnal, allowing for non-mostly-secure uses (like gridmail messaging) to still be relevant with sicnal and grid terms.
It is easy back referenced, unlike SIC and could lead to a more true 'social media' experience I think The Feed is going for.
It allows integration into the normal moo window, rather than accessing the browser. (which is cool, I love it, but night be cumbersome for some)
Hiccups to be considered:
Most of The Grid works off of Grid Accounts. That means to sign into The Feed on your phone, you'd need to have one.
Players may own more than one account and want to access The Feed from another account, so an option for switch may need to be considered.
Would you sign in every use of the app or would it be one and done? If someone dipped your phone, could they post ln the feed as you?
Progia features should really be lifting from Johnny Mnemonic rather than Apple.
I'm not really calling any ideas out specifically here just in general voicing my thoughts that I feel like phones are moving in a questionably modern direction that should really, in keeping with the genre, be the exclusive remit of Matrix decks/Grid terms.
Apps are not a bad thing and I think taking notes and inspiration from the modern world is very cyberpunk rather than keep it mired in the old cyberpunk of the 80s. I think things still have their place and in the interest of roleplay and device use not everything needs to be EXACT like the modern world or needs to overlap or cause old items to not be used any more.
But I do think avoiding modern day concepts for items and ideas might stifle the idea of other newe innovation fantasies that cyberpunk has that are computers and tech and items beyond what we have now. Like holos and all that.
Maybe I just have too many phones. I dunno. Stickers would be RAD too. Things that are already in game that'd just be real handy...
Anyway yes red Progia gridphone in my inventory please. Or whatever color. Just the color would be so handy.
Also, I'd like to +1 Reefer's idea of stationary numbers. Maybe not choosing what number you have, but call forwarding would be nice. You call a number that is advertised, and that number forwards the call to whatever number is installed in the app. Both drain minutes from their prospective phones as the time ticks away.
Finally, the train app. Okay it was funny stupid expensive, but can it be brought down to a reasonable expensive? The app artificially inflates the cost of the phone as well, which leads to problems in the markets as well.
