Pheed

Pheed was a mobile-first social networking platform that enabled users to share a variety of digital content, including text, photos, audio clips, videos, and live broadcasts. The company was founded by O.D. Kobo, a serial entrepreneur with a history of ventures in technology and media, along with Phil Haus and music producer Tony DeNiro. Kobo, born in Hong Kong and educated in London, had a background in creating and exiting companies before starting Pheed, which was self-funded with $3.7 million from Kobo and his partners.

Launched in October 2012, Pheed was conceived as an all-in-one platform, combining features from popular social networks like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. It targeted a younger, creative demographic and quickly gained traction, attracting numerous celebrity users and reaching one million users within its first two months. A key differentiator for Pheed was its direct monetization model for creators. The platform was a pioneer in offering a mobile pay-per-view live stream technology, allowing users to charge a fee for access to their content, either through a monthly subscription to their channel or a one-time fee for a live broadcast event. Prices ranged from $1.99 to $34.99, with Pheed taking a portion of the revenue. This focus on content ownership was further emphasized with features like a copyright button and watermarking capabilities.

The business operated in the competitive social media market, aiming to serve content creators, artists, musicians, and influencers who wanted more control and monetization options. The platform’s rapid growth, which saw it briefly become the number one free social app in Apple's App Store in early 2013, culminated in its acquisition in March 2014. Just 18 months after its launch, Pheed was acquired for a reported $40 million in a cash and stock deal by Mobli, a photo and video-sharing app competitor. Mobli was primarily interested in Pheed's live broadcast and pay-per-view technology to enhance its own content monetization efforts. Following the acquisition, Pheed's technology was integrated into the platforms of Mobli's parent company, América Móvil, and the Pheed service was shut down in April 2016.

Keywords: Pheed, O.D. Kobo, Phil Haus, Tony DeNiro, social media monetization, pay-per-view social network, content creator platform, mobile live streaming, creator economy, digital content monetization, social media acquisition, Mobli, celebrity social media, subscription content, video sharing platform, audio sharing, live broadcast, social network for artists, teen social network, content ownership