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ISIS mobile wallet changes name to Softcard to avoid association with militant group

ISIS mobile wallet changes name to Softcard to avoid association with militant group

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The mobile wallet app ISIS is finally changing its name in order to avoid association with the violent Islamic militant group that it shares an abbreviation with. The app's developer said back in July that a new name was in the works, and it's announcing today that the company has decided on Softcard. There's going to be no difference in the actual app — it'll continue to the same carrier-backed mobile wallet struggling for wide consumer adoption — just now it'll have a new name. There appears to be some new styling to go along with the new name too, adopting a very minimalist logo and bright colors.

Current users of the ISIS app won't notice any change for a few weeks, until the app is actually updated with the new branding. At that point, they'll be able to continue using the app as usual, just under the Softcard name. The new name is certainly a better one than ISIS, and the word "card" should help signal to newcomers just what the app is trying to do. "We have no desire to share a name with [ISIS] and our hearts go out to those affected by this violence," Softcard CEO Michael Abbott writes in a blog post this morning. Abbot writes that the goal of the new brand was to provide the company with "a name and visual identity that had the power, flexibility, and simplicity to define our category." The many attempts at making mobile wallets happen have shown that's no easy task, but the new name is an important start.