Tuesday 5 February 2013

Latest Royal Mail iPhone app allows for Gold Medal Smilers stamps

Just when we thought that the Gold Medal stamps were all done and dusted, a reader points out that the latest update of the Smilers iPhone app is offering users the option of putting a photo into a "future gold medal winner" template, which allows them to type in names and sport, etc by way of personalisation. 

Although these are not stamps as such, you've got to admire Royal Mail's inegnuity for tapping into 2012's Gold Medal mania and allowing Smilers customers the opportunity to create something different.

(UPDATE 8 Feb: now or shortly also available on Android platforms.  And despite the lack of any publicity from Royal Mail to my knowledge, these are selling well!)


Our reader supplied us with images from the App (click to see larger):

1. select type of label

2. Note only the Union Flag stamp is available with this label


3. Add caption


4. Order multiples of 10 or 20 stamps


The iPhone App is free and certainly installs on older iPhones, but so far I have not been "unable to connect to the Smilers server".  Those with the newer technology may find it easier.  (Edit - Royal Mail have now confirmed that this App requires iOS 4.2; my logic says that it shouldn't have been possible to install it, but what do I know about technology!)

UPDATE 6 February:  Thanks to a reader we can report that
There are two Smilers apps listed in the App Store. You need to make sure you are using the new one - called "Royal Mail Smilers" which is produced by Intelligent AR Ltd, rather than the old one simply called "Smilers" which is produced by Royal Mail Group Ltd.
And having checked that out, I now know that....

This new one updated on 21 January 2013 (v 1.6) is NOT compatible with iOS 4.2.1.
Posted by Ian - Norvic at 14:02
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14 comments:

  1. Anonymous5 February 2013 at 14:58

    Sorry, but this is really starting to hack me off. Why aren't these available via the Royal Mail's own web site / the Snapfish site. Not everyone has an iPhone, and even then I understand it's actually quite fiddly to get the pictures lined up (and some are cropped in a way you can't change). Can someone at Royal Mail explain what the reason is, please? Is it the commercial deals they've done?

    ReplyDelete
  2. brian sinnott5 February 2013 at 22:24

    Here is an example of Royal Mail engaging with future 'Young collectors'- as stated above, building on last years Olympic momentum.
    You could argue that these stamps are becoming more and more accessible to a much wider audience and RM are actively marketing the future of the hobby ..
    Standby for Stampex for the Philatelic offer..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ian - Norvic6 February 2013 at 08:57

      They might be engaging with younger people, but this option should also be available via the Royal Mail/Snapfish Smilers site.

      It is akin to selling a set of stamps only at Post Offices in England, leaving the rest of the UK out on a limb.

      Delete
  3. Goodwin6 February 2013 at 11:11

    I am a bit surprised that LOCOG are allowing this as I thought all the earlier Olympic stamp merchandise had to be withdrawn for copyright reasons last year?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ian - Norvic6 February 2013 at 11:27

      You are correct in saying that the License expired on 31 December last.

      In a sense my subject line is misleading, as there is no Gold Medal stamp involved - the words are only on the label. The stamp, as you see, is the Union Flag stamp. There is nothing to be considered by LOCOG nor the IOC.

      Delete
  4. John Billings6 February 2013 at 11:29

    I suspect the problem stems from the customisable text which you can enter via the iPhone app.

    The snapfish site is image-only for Smilers, and would probably need some additional work (by Snapfish) to enable the captions to be added. This additional work may not be under RM's direct control, scheduling-wise.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous6 February 2013 at 11:56

      Nice idea, but the same happened with the Olympic definitive sheets, which for some reason were only available via the iPhone app. There was no customisable text on those, and they were not available on the Royal Mail / Snapfish site. It is clearly something else at play ...

      Delete
  5. Unknown6 February 2013 at 13:00

    This app doesn't work even on an IOS version that is supported.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ian - Norvic6 February 2013 at 13:02

      Well clearly it does otherwise our reader couldn't have provided the images, but there seem to be problems currently.

      If you are a twitter user, ask them @royalmail or use their Facebook page.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous6 February 2013 at 13:28

      There are two Smilers apps listed in the App Store. You need to make sure you are using the new one - called "Royal Mail Smilers" which is produced by Intelligent AR Ltd, rather than the old one simply called "Smilers" which is produced by Royal Mail Group Ltd.

      Delete
    3. Ian - Norvic6 February 2013 at 13:46

      Well, thank you for that.

      This new one updated on 21 January 2013 (v 1.6) is NOT compatible with iOS 4.2.1, but it doesn't have a technical spec, just says that it is not compatible with this phone.

      Delete
  6. Unknown7 February 2013 at 08:48

    Thanks. Only Royal Mail could make something so easy to use such as the App Store so confusing :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous12 February 2013 at 12:17

    Are sheets of 10 printed just on the left hand side of a sheet for 20 stamps or on both then the right hand side destroyed. I ask because my recent sheets of 10 have a perforation on the right edge.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ian - Norvic12 February 2013 at 13:54

      I've no idea. I only know that if you order 2 x 10 with different pictures you can get them on one sheet if you ask.

      Delete

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