Today marks the launch of a new Mac application named RPLY, specifically created to assist texters in achieving “inbox zero” on iMessage.
RPLY targets individuals who frequently forget to respond, leaving their friends hanging with messages marked as delivered for days. Utilizing AI, the app identifies missed texts and proposes replies, ensuring users don’t unintentionally become non-responders. It can automatically address any messages that have gone unanswered for over 24 hours.
Conceived by 21-year-old Molly Cantillon, a Stanford dropout, RPLY follows her earlier creation, NOX, a personalized AI assistant for iOS backed by OpenAI’s startup fund.
“RPLY was designed to tackle ‘text debt’—those moments when you intend to reply but forget, get sidetracked, or never formally hit send. The primary aim is to relieve the pressure of texting while fostering genuine connections,” Cantillon shared with TechCrunch.
While AI-driven smart reply features have existed for almost a decade, employed by tech giants like Google, Cantillon pointed out that she has yet to encounter a solution comparable to RPLY for iMessage.
The iMessage assistant from RPLY advances by evaluating the user’s complete text history to formulate replies that resonate with their unique style and personality, ultimately generating responses that feel natural.
Inspired by the concept of Inbox Zero—an efficient email management strategy—RPLY filters unheard messages and presents users with a summary of unread texts, allowing for a comprehensive view of unanswered messages without the hassle of scrolling through iMessage.
Cantillon emphasizes that the unanswered message filter is “a straightforward yet crucial feature that Apple surprisingly neglects.”
The application also includes a statistics section that tracks the average weekly response time and monitors an “inbox zero streak,” letting users know when they last had no unread messages. This feature further enriches user engagement by including stats about “Those You Respond To Fastest” and “Those You Prefer to Ignore.”
In a recent trial of the application, TechCrunch found the AI-generated replies to be natural and contextually aware. The majority of contacted individuals were unaware that the responses were produced by AI. However, a few did notice anomalies, such as a misplaced comma following “haha,” and the absence of emojis, which would have enhanced the experience.
Thus far, RPLY has garnered interest from 1,000 paying users. Cantillon mentioned that the app appeals especially to individuals in tech, creative, and business sectors, targeting founders, recruiters, retail agents, and others who struggle with overflowing inboxes. College students could also find the app particularly useful.
While many users are attracted to RPLY’s features, it also prompts the question: does reliance on AI diminish the emotional connection inherent in texting? This concern has been raised in relation to the emergence of generative AI tools and deserves consideration regarding whether the benefits of using AI come at the expense of sincere communication.
Furthermore, to use this application, users need to grant access to all their text messages and contacts. This requirement may cause apprehension for some, as it necessitates allowing AI to scrutinize private exchanges with friends and family.
According to RPLY’s privacy policy, the app does not utilize text content to train broader AI models and adheres to a “strict zero data retention policy,” meaning no data is stored and is deleted immediately after processing. RPLY asserts that it does not sell user data to external parties.
Cantillon also shared that RPLY offers a local option using Llama (Meta’s AI model) for those preferring to keep all text data processing on-device, ensuring no text data is ever transmitted externally.
It’s common for AI systems to necessitate user data for optimal functionality, but it’s crucial to recognize that despite claims of robust security measures, breaches can and do occur. For instance, DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company, recently faced a situation involving a compromised internal database containing sensitive information, including chat histories. Awareness of privacy risks is essential.
Currently, RPLY is exclusively available for macOS. Apple’s stringent App Store policies suggest that RPLY may have opted for a Mac application as a strategic alternative.
In the future, Cantillon aspires to extend RPLY’s compatibility to platforms like WhatsApp and Slack. However, this remains uncertain, and users on Slack—primarily an employee platform—may have reservations about sharing extensive personal information with an AI company.
RPLY’s subscription is also on the higher side, priced at $30 per month following a 14-day free trial.
Compiled by Techarena.au.
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