Photo sharing app Rocket supplies banks to new celebrities focused features to drive its growth

Rocket is a photo sharing app that allows users to share images with friends that appear as widgets on their home screens, staying on the radar and seeking the help of celebrities.

When it was launched in 2022, Locket appeared as a Bereal competitor, offering a more authentic way with others. This app places the widget on the iPhone home screen that will be updated with the latest photos added by a friend. Users can select up to 20 close friends to create an intimate space for them to share unfiltered selfies and updates about their lives.

The app claims to have a total of over 80 million downloads and over 9 million active users every day, and that user has so far shared over 10 billion photos. In particular, the company also shared with TechCrunch that it achieved profitability in 2024.

To drive additional growth, Locket has been quietly testing a feature called “Celebrity Lockets” for the past six months, and the app officially announced on Wednesday.

Celebrity Rocket focuses primarily on music artists and engages with fans by sharing details about upcoming shows, new album releases and other news. Locket has already tested this feature on Suki Waterhouse and Jvke, and more artists are coming out soon.

To use this feature, celebrities can share links on social media platforms, fans can research them on the app and add them, and send photos directly to the fan’s home screen.

“Post directly on the fan’s home screen, providing immediacy and intimacy that other platforms cannot replicate, turning passive followers into active participants,” founder Matt Moss told TechCrunch.

With Rocket, artists can choose many fans, ranging from 1,000 to 15,000 slots. Suki, for example, has 5,000 fans on the app, helping Rocket attract hundreds of new members. According to the company, 17% of these 5,000 fans were unfamiliar with rockets.

“Fans feel special that they know that they’re not just followers but one of thousands. This also holds the same intimacy and rocket brand as today’s products. The community also knows that they use rockets to share music with friends, so they can connect with their favorite artists,” Moss said.

Moss says the feedback from the testers was good, but it is unclear whether this will help the rocket increase its users. Beereal has tried something similar with a feature called “Real People,” but the reception is not entirely positive and some people say they prefer anti-social media apps as a way to escape celebrities.