Version 1.6 of our iOS app just finished Apple’s review process and is available for download. This update is focused mostly on behind-the-scenes improvements, so the list of visible changes is pretty small:

• Reconnection no longer blocks all input in the app. Users can now type messages and view chat history while the app reconnects and updates the UI.
• Fixed problems with iPads being unable to upload photos
• The responsiveness while the app is performing the initial load of users and rooms should be much better for larger groups (100+ users/rooms)

This is a first step towards making our mobile apps easier to use during times when connections are going in and out. Please try it out and let us know any feedback or comments you have: support@hipchat.com.

We look forward to being able to get these updates out even more often now that we’re part of Atlassian. We appreciate all the feature requests and feedback we get from our users, please keep them coming!

Good news everyone! Version 1.3 of our iOS app is available for download. We have some new features as well as some bug fixes that are part of this release:

• You can now upload photos directly from the phone. Choose from your existing photo library or take a snapshot and send it to HipChat.
• Fixed a common issue where users would have lots of empty space above the text input area after showing the keyboard.
• Improved reconnecting flow to help alleviate some of the jerkiness.
• Users should no longer notice rooms with blank names under their chats tab.

Try it out and if you have any feedback let us know by dropping us a line at support@hipchat.com

Version 1.2 of the HipChat iOS app recently was put live on the app store. The changes that made it in this revision are:

• Landscape mode is now supported for iPhone and iPad (we had lots of request from iPad users for this one)
• Reduced required iOS version to 4.0
• Fix for intermittent crashes when joining chats
• Fix for an issue with the roster showing all users as offline

We still have some UI improvements planned for a future update, including the ability to upload photos and view room rosters. If you have any feedback or suggestions, please send them over to us at support@hipchat.com.

Today we’re happy to announce the release of our native iPhone and iPad apps. We want to thank all of our beta testers and customers who have been waiting patiently. We’re passionate about accessibility and this is a big step towards getting HipChat on every operating system and device out there. The apps are free and available in the App Store.

• Group chat and 1-to-1 messaging
• Inline previews for images, Twitter, and YouTube, etc.
• Receive push notifications for 1-to-1 chats, room invites, and when you’re mentioned in a room
• Other users will see you as being on an iPhone

If you have any bugs or feedback please contact us.

One more thing…

We’ve also added a new emoticon: (jobs) . Enjoy!

UPDATE: We are no longer looking for new beta testers – we’ve had a great response from existing users! Version 1.0 of the app is now available in the App Store. Please feel free to download and rate it. We hope it improves your HipChat mobile experience.

We’re getting near the end of our iPhone app development and are looking for current HipChat users interested in beta testing. If you want to get an early sneak peek at the app and are willing to provide feedback and submit crash reports, drop us a line at support@hipchat.com. All that we need is the device ID from your iPhone (and your name, of course) so we can add you to our list of testers. You can find instructions on how to get that data at Distributing Applications on the Apple developer docs (just search for “sending your device ID”).

Thanks – we’re looking forward to getting the app out ASAP!