Smartify app launches to recognize artworks like Shazam does for music

Smartify, a new app co-founded by Thanos Kokkiniotis, a Greek mobile services manager at Shell in London, is set to launch in May on Android and iOS. Described as a hybrid of Spotify and Shazam, it automatically recognizes artworks, provides detailed information, and allows users to save favorites in a personal database. At launch, it will feature collections from the Louvre in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and the Wallace Collection in London. In Italy, Banca Monte Paschi will be the first institution to partner, with the app available from May 18 at its historic Siena headquarters during an extraordinary opening for International Museum Day, promoted by ICOM. The app works well with reproductions and does not require physical presence. Competitors include Magnus, created by Magnus Resch, which is more market-oriented and shows prices and auction records, and Google's Art Recognizer within Arts & Culture. The key differentiator is comprehensiveness.