 App icon as it appears on Google Play | |
| Developer(s) | Carrot Pop |
|---|---|
| Initial release | May 10, 2013; 11 years ago (2013-05-10) |
| Stable release | 1.8.80 / September 26, 2021; 3 years ago (2021-09-26) |
| Operating system | Android |
| Size | 15 MB |
| Available in | English |
Send Me To Heaven (officially stylized as S.M.T.H.) is an Android application developed by Carrot Pop which measures the vertical distance that a mobile phone is thrown. Players compete against each other by seeking to throw their phones higher than others, often at the risk of damaging their phones. The app was immediately banned from the Apple App Store but remains available from Google Play, where it maintains a cult following.
Gameplay
Petr Svarovsky, a Czech-born Norwegian artist who founded Carrot Pop to develop transgressive smartphone apps, indicated during an interview with WIRED magazine that he hoped to have people destroy as many iPhones as possible while playing his game. "The original idea was to have very expensive gadgets, which people in certain societies buy just to show off, and to get them to throw it." Nonetheless, the mobile game opens with a warning that requests players to be aware of their surroundings, along with a legal disclaimer absolving the developer from any injuries or damages that may result from playing.
Players are instructed to throw their phones as high as they can, with minimal rotation for most accurate results. The maximum height is calculated via the phone's accelerometer. Because some phones have accelerometers positioned off-center, any rotation in those phones may confound the data. "Cheating" by throwing a phone from a tall building typically returns an error message. The app's calculations keep track of how long the phone takes to rise and fall, and an error message is displayed if the distance fallen exceeds the length of the ascent.
Exceptionally good scores may appear on the game's leader board, which is divided into the categories World Top 10, Week Top 10, Day Top 10 and Local Top 10. Some users reported scores as high as 40 meters (131 feet), which Svarovsky discovered was the result of players firing their phones into the air with slingshots.
Reception
Reviews for Send Me to HeavenNo Point On Playing This UNLESS Your [sic] Rich And Can Buy A Few More Phones.
Already got a good ding on the corner of my RAZR from it. BAHAHAHAHA!
According to Svarovsky, the first demo of the game took place at a music festival in Oslo, Norway. Attendees were so enthusiastic with the idea that many began throwing their phones into the air without bothering to download the app.
Apple rejected Send Me to Heaven from their App Store, citing policies against encouraging the damage of an iOS device.
Users have left generally positive reviews for the app. An official Facebook page allows players to share photos and videos of their attempts. The game attracted notoriety upon its release in 2013 and has experienced brief renewals of popularity since, most recently in 2017.
Due to the rejection of Send Me to Heaven from the Apple App Store, the only iOS device currently running a copy of Send Me to Heaven is Petr Svarovsky's personal iPhone, which contains the app prototype. Svarovsky has attempted to sell the badly damaged iPhone multiple times as a "collectible" game item. Although badly damaged, the iPhone is still functional and is marketed as including the following bonus content: Svarovsky's ex-girlfriend's phone number, Svarovsky's dentist's phone number, some cat photographs, and some heavy metal songs. The phone was offered for US$30,000 (equivalent to $35,752 in 2023) on Etsy and, later, for $100,000 (equivalent to $119,172 in 2023) on Saatchi Art.
See also
- I Am Rich – Notably expensive iOS application
References
- Cerpina, Zane (November 2, 2016). "Artist Profile: Petr Svarovsky". EE - Experimental and Emerging Art. No. 1. ISSN 2464-448X. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
- ^ Rigney, Ryan (September 6, 2013). "Banned 'Throw Your Phone' Game Knows if You're Cheating". WIRED. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
- ^ Rodriguez, Salvador (August 7, 2013). "Apple rejects game app measuring the height of phone tosses". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
- ^ Waxman, Olivia B. (August 9, 2013). "'Send Me to Heaven' App: Throw Your Phone in the Air to Score Points". Time. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
- ^ Keating, Lauren (May 26, 2015). "'Send Me To Heaven' Android App Will Be The Last Game You Play On Your Phone". Tech Times. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
- LeJacq, Yannick (August 5, 2013). "Smartphone game may destroy your smartphone". NBC News. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
- Boran, Marie (November 30, 2017). "Throw your phone in the air like you don't care". The Irish Times. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
- Nieva, Jason (August 14, 2019). "Send Me To Heaven Developer Selling Phone With Game's Original Version Installed For $30,000". Player.One. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
- Nieva, Jason (September 26, 2019). "Smartphone With Send Me To Heaven Installed Available For $100K". Player.One. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
Further reading
- Allain, Rhett (August 8, 2013). "How High Can You Toss Your Phone?". WIRED. An overview of the mathematics involved in calculating the maximum height of a phone as it is thrown into the air.