Photobase is being built as optimized, native mobile experiences with web viewers for downloads and photo sharing.

Code sharing

I’m starting from the Android app, and I’ll use Kotlin Multiplatform for business logic code sharing between all supported platforms. The iOS app will quickly follow after the Android app is released, but the user experience will be designed from scratch for Apple devices, to take the most from what each platform has to offer.

Encryption

Photos and videos will be encrypted on the client side to guarantee privacy on all data in transit or in rest. We’ll be offering two paths: managed keys and zero knowledge encryption. We’ll let the user choose if they want to risk their privacy but be assured they don’t lose the keys, or have total privacy and keep their keys by their own. The plan is to also implement key rotation and use native features provided by the mobile OS’s to go extra deep on the security side. I’ll share more about it as we design the apps.

Cloud storage

Cloud storage of your encrypted media will be optional, and Photobase will host the same data in more than one provider to keep it extra safe. On the future I’ll add the option to let you ‘bring your own cloud storage provider’ (for technical users) and pay for it separatedly: this way you can optimize your cloud costs or choose your own strategy on how you want to keep your memories for life.

Any open source?

The security core of the client will be open sourced for transparency, but the client itself will be closed source. I have plans to open source more parts of the client on the future, but it depends on how the business side of it will work: plan is to be a sustainable indie endeavour with limited marketing budgets.

Build in public

The technical aspects will be developed in public, you can follow me on Twitter/X (@tgloureiro) to see it being built live.

Roadmap

Early 2024

• Photobase Android Design Phase
• Photobase Android MVP development
• Android testing with early adopters
• Photobase Android MVP launch (with limited feature set) (mid 2024)

Mid 2024

• Photobase Web Viewer Design Phase
• Photobase Web Viewer Development
• Photobase Web Viewer launch

Late 2024

• Photobase iOS Design Phase
• Photobase iOS MVP development
• iOS testing with early adopters
• Photobase iOS MVP launch

Early 2025

• Photobase Android and iOS extended feature set implemented
• Full experience launch

Everything going well, by the end of the year/early 2025 we’ll have a solid, high quality native alternative for Google Photos and Apple Photos. If you like the plan, message me and get involved in the process.