A digital walkie talkie app has become the top downloaded app as Hurrican Irma threatens Florida and the southern Atlantic seaboard.
Zello was the top free download in both Apple’s App Store and the Google Play store on Thursday, after gaining fame as the top communications tool of the ‘Cajun Navy’ Harvey rescuers in Houston.
‘Over 1 million people have joined in the last day, with most coming from Puerto Rico and Florida,’ Zello CTO Alexey Gavrilov said in a statement.
Gavrilov warned users that Zello is not designed for disaster communications though, and will not work without either a WiFi or cellular data link, dispelling online rumors to the contrary.
The walkie talkie app zello (pictured) has seen a surge in downloads in Florida and Puerto Rico as Hurricane Irma threatens the region
The app gained fame as the communications tool of Cajun Navy volunteer rescuers during Harvey. Pictured: Members of the Louisiana Cajun Navy during rescue operations in Texas
As Texas recovers from Harvey and Florida braces for Irma, other hurricane-related apps dominated the two main app stores.
The NOAA weather radar app was the number five free download in Google Play Thursday, with the Hurricane Tracker app taking the store’s number five paid slot.
Meanwhile, NOAA Radar Pro and Hurricane Tracker were the top two paid downloads on Apple’s App Store.
Zello differs from other messaging or voice apps by allowing the user to hold down a button and broadcast to other users logged into a specific channel – just like a tradition walkie talkie.
Floridians are hoping to keep in contact using the app if Hurricane Irma hits. The current storm track forecast as of Thursday morning is shown
False rumors circulating on Facebook have implied that Zello works even when internet and cell service are out, which the company has said is not true.
‘If there is no WiFi and no cellular data service, communication apps (including Zello) WON’T WORK,’ Gavrilov said in the statement.
However, he added: ‘Text messaging apps and Zello use a fraction of bandwidth of phone calls and will often work when phone calls won’t get through.’
The Zello app entered the spotlight as Hurricane Harvey pounded Texas, when volunteer rescuers from the Cajun Navy used it as their main communications tool.