This New Social App Feels Realer Than Ever
Do I really need another social app on my phone? I didn’t think so. I am sadly one of the many victims of doom scrolling, and the thought of another app that shows me influencers in the wild did not feel particularly needed. But then, in swooped Hyper, and I was instantly intrigued – an app that makes every day a game? I had to know more. I spent a week using Hyper, and I’ve found myself hooked. Here’s the full download:
In Partnership With Hyper
What is Hyper?
Hyper is a new social app focusing on daily challenges. The app invites you to capture ordinary moments in your day or set off on side quests to explore the city, earning points as you complete various quests. You can invite friends on challenges or make it a group activity – capturing moments in real-time and taking on missions designed to make ordinary moments in your day just a bit more exciting.
First impressions
Hyper has a sleek, cool interface. It’s easy to use and quite self-explanatory. You can do a quick tour of the app once you’ve created your profile and then just dive in and start completing challenges and side quests. The concept is quite simple – you can pick a task to do and upload a picture or video once you’re done.
The coolest part of it is that it’s the closest thing that you can get to actually bridging the gap the real and social world.
There’s some fun AI tech thrown in here, so once you’ve completed the challenge a friendly pop-up will verify the image and then award you points which are credited to your profile.
It feels clean and no-fuss – not gimmicky like Snapchat sometimes feels. And the coolest part of it is that it’s the closest thing you can get to actually bridging the gap between the real and social world.
How it works
There are a range of tasks on the app that go from selfies in your OOTD to snapping a view of your commute.
There’s also a convenient map feature that you can use to find challenges around you and, with each one you complete, you level up and unlock more. And the rewards are actually cool with vouchers and gift cards sent to your inbox if you win.
There are a range of tasks on the app that go from selfies in your OOTD to grabbing a view of your commute.
To get the most out of the app, I’d recommend giving Hyper access to your location so that you can do tasks unique to where you are. Plus, all the pictures and videos you take are saved to your profile under “memories” so you can go back and share them whenever you like.
What we love
The app is a great way to get to know London. As someone relatively new to the city, I love things like the Battersea Power Station quest that’s live right now. The app created a map of three checkpoints, that takes me from the pagoda to the Power Station and then to the bridge, with the challenges transforming an ordinary journey into a fun game. It also involves bringing a friend along – the last quest invites you to wave at a friend on the other side of the river and you know what? Kinda cute.
Hyper also gives you a much-needed break from doom scrolling. I’ve come to associate social media with an endless barrage of content that stays in my brain for only two seconds. But Hyper actually invites you to stop and think – a rogue move when it comes to social media. The app can be just as social or individual as you like it, meaning you can tailor the experience to your mood.
Where Hyper stands out is that it gives you a variety of moments and experiences to capture, and it makes an ordinary moment into an adventure.
As of now, Hyper seems to be influencer-free, though there is the option to “get featured” on the homepage. Even then, though, it doesn’t feel forced. No celebrities are advertising their films and skincare launches, and it feels like an organic, safe place to add some fun to your day. If you’re on BeReal, you might have some of this already, but where Hyper stands out is that it gives you a variety of moments and experiences to capture, and it makes an ordinary moment into an adventure.
If you have even the faintest bit of competitive spirit, Hyper absolutely taps into it (every time I get a notification saying, “Congratulations! You’ve earned XP for completing the quest”, I feel like a child getting a gold star).
The verdict
Hyper is a new brand of social media without the pressure of constantly checking how many likes you’ve got or if your ex has watched your stories. What stands out to me is that Hyper does not ask for perfection; it asks for reality. I am completely free to take the most average picture of my coffee and receive no judgment – I can just post it.
Real people, real friends, real places, doing…you guessed it, real, everyday things. And it feels like a breath of fresh air.
It fills in the spaces that other apps have now left vacant. Where Instagram was once the place I went to to see what my friends were up to, the app has been overtaken by influencers, brands and marketing promotions. Hyper, however, shows you none of that for now. It’s real people, real friends, real places, doing…you guessed it, real, everyday things. And it feels like a breath of fresh air.
I usually always have my notifications for apps turned off, but I was pleasantly surprised with Hyper when I chose to allow notifications. The reminders to do challenges on the way to work and on my lunchtime strolls felt fun, not intrusive, and who doesn’t like a good game to rustle up some healthy competitive spirit? The only thing I can say is that I would have preferred it if all the communication went to one place, so having an interface on the app where I can see all my rewards instead of checking my email for them would be more convenient.
Social media might seem to be an overcrowded space to try and make a dent in, but being on Hyper made me realise how much I craved authentic experiences with my friends.
Being on Hyper made me realise how much I craved authentic experiences with my friends.
When I was in school, my best friend and I would go off on little pretend adventures (climbing trees, escaping from imaginary enemies, solving mysteries…), and it made the most mundane experiences magical. Hyper feels like the closest I’ve got to that feeling of setting off on a quest and having a friendly face by your side as you plan your next adventure. It’s the app that’s bringing a bit of nostalgic adventure back into our lives and I’m all here for it.
For more information, download Hyper at the Apple Store.
