Avec Aims to Revolutionize Email with Tinder-Style Swipe Cards and AI-Powered Voice Replies

Avec, a new email app, is making waves with its innovative swipe card interface and AI-powered voice replies, aiming to simplify email management and make it more enjoyable.

Avec's Unique Features

Avec's Tinder-style swipe cards allow users to quickly categorize emails into piles, with left swipes adding emails to a 'later' pile and right swipes marking them as 'done' or archived. The email 'stack' also features a button that enables users to reply to emails using voice commands, transcribing the voice notes into drafts that can be reviewed and edited before sending.

"It's this thing that hasn't changed for twenty-five years," Unikowksi told TechCrunch over a call. He said Gmail was the last big change in email, which has had long-term impacts on how email is managed.

Understanding the Context

Avec said that while apps like Wispr Flow, Willow, and Monolouge exist, they are constrained by Apple's APIs, and users need to install them as a separate keyboard app to work. Meanwhile, Avec has the full context of your email, so it can understand names and apply better edits based on the tone of the email. Because of this context, the email app can understand your personal email style as well, the company said.

Marking Unimportant Emails

While managing your inbox, Avec lets you mark unimportant emails by swiping down a particular email. The email will learn from what's put in the unimportant pile and can show it to you in a group instead of forcing you to triage these emails one by one.

Plain Old List-Based View

The app was founded by Jonathan Unikowksi, who previously worked at Replit in a product engineering role. Unikowksi said he was thinking about building tools that he would use every day. He explored ideas like building a browser, but eventually ended up with email.

• The app is currently available in the U.S. and is free to use for Gmail users.
• Support for Outlook is in the works.
• The company plans to introduce paid tiers at some point, but it is still ideating about what features to include within that premium offering.

Funding and Plans

The company has raised $8.4 million in funding to date from investors, including Lightspeed and Haystack, with participation from individuals such as Replit CEO Amjad Massad, Replit's head of AI Michele Catasta, Behance co-founder Scott Belsky, and Lenny Rachitsky.

Conclusion

Avec's innovative approach to email management and its use of AI-powered voice replies make it a compelling alternative to traditional email clients. With its focus on user experience and simplicity, Avec is poised to make a significant impact in the email app market.