IM+ brought multiple messaging accounts into one application, and the arrival of the iPad gave that idea a larger canvas. This June 2010 entry concerns the iPad edition of SHAPE’s messenger, rather than treating the tablet as merely a place to enlarge an iPhone screenshot. SHAPE’s own company history identifies IM+ among its products.
The 2010 iPad update
A contemporary report of version 4.1, published on April 30, 2010, records iPad interface fixes and improved external keyboard support. Its reproduced release notes also mention speech recognition on iPad, a longer push session and changes to Facebook connectivity. These details belong to that historical release; they are not promises about which networks an old copy can connect to now.
The keyboard support is especially relevant to the tablet use case. Someone carrying out several conversations may value sustained typing more than occasional short replies. When assessing an older messaging app, look beyond whether it launches: switching accounts, moving between conversations and keeping track of the active recipient are equally important parts of the workflow.
Keep later features in their own timeline
IM+ continued to change after this article’s date. The company’s December 2011 announcement introduced its Beep messenger for users including those on iPhone and iPad. That later feature should not be silently added to a description of the June 2010 product.
Likewise, a historical list of supported chat networks is evidence of what the app offered then. It does not confirm that those services, authentication methods or server connections remain available. Before relying on any current messenger, check the services you actually need, notification behavior and the supported operating system.
Why this iPad entry matters
IM+ illustrates an early tablet design question: how should a familiar phone task change when there is more screen space and a physical keyboard may be attached? The useful research focus is the conversation workflow and its version history. This restored page preserves the original June 24, 2010 address without claiming a fresh hands-on test of discontinued editions.