CAN you improve your snooker skills with an iPhone app?
Chances are you won’t be sneaking onto the world rankings by tapping away while some other lad’s gone for a frame, but former world snooker champion Stephen Hendry has hand-picked a range of routines that might help you fine-tune your optimistic quest for greatness.
The Stephen Hendry Masterclass Snooker Routines app was devised by Gateshead’s Mobile App Creations, who brought in Newcastle app agency Hedgehog Lab and Gateshead animator Kuro Dragon to bring it to life. It features 30 routines, complete with animation of shots and recordings of Hendry himself performing the routine.
Hendry’s dominance of the game in the 90s made him a household name, and he has won seven world titles so far in his career.
He said: “I believe the app will when used fully be of great assistance to any snooker player regardless of age or ability, myself and my team gave a great deal of thought about the content of our routines.
“I chose at this stage to select a range of routines that will focus on playing naturally and enjoying the game. Later editions will touch on stance and cue action. However, I feel each player is individual and it’s just as important to feel comfortable and to enjoy playing the game. Remember, I taught myself to play when I was 13 by practising every day.”
Mobile App Creations believes the app is “user friendly, yet full of first-class routines that will assist any player”. It is made up of two editions, and is currently available on the App Store for £4.99. It is also offered in Mandarin in order to tap into the market for snooker in China, which has over 50 million snooker players and has embraced it as the nation’s second largest sport.
MAC selected Hedgehog Lab to help deliver the app after talking to developers all over the country, and Kuro Dragon supplied the animation for the snooker routines themselves.
Hedgehog Lab’s co-founder and managing director Sarat Pediredla said: “There is a definite gap in the market with regards to a high quality educational sports app, and the Stephen Hendry app goes someway to fulfilling this.
“Instead of reading a book to develop your sports prowess, this app brings words to life creating a more engaging and interesting progression for skill training.”
Kuro Dragon managing director Stuart Howard said: “Collaborating on such an interesting project has been a great experience for Kuro Dragon. Our expertise lies in high-quality animation, and by creating each virtual routine we have produced a premium learning tool for snooker enthusiasts.
“By winning the opportunity from MAC to produce the app, both Hedgehog Lab and Kuro Dragon have been able to create a high-end app that is set to raise the standard for educational smart phone software.”
