The idea for the iPhoneChain came from an actual event that occurred in the summer of 2010.

My friends and I were attending a sold-out concert. The arena was packed. My girlfriend was arriving late to the show, and I received a text message from her looking to find us in the crowd.

As I pulled my iPhone out of my jeans pocket, I fumbled it and it dropped to the floor and bounced out of sight. My life was in that phone..!!  I frantically looked on the floor around all of the concert goers close to us and could not find my iPhone. I thought my phone was gone for good and I was going to be out $500(!!) and more importantly, all the data in my phone was going to be lost forever!

Another concertgoer found my iPhone and must have noticed me looking for it and how frantic I appeared at its disappearance. Thankfully, she approached me with my iPhone to return it to me. After thanking her profusely, she smiled and started to leave.  Just as she started to step away, she turned to ask if there was a reward for the return of my iPhone. Knowing how expensive the phone was and how much valuable information I had on the phone, I was happy to fork over a $20 “reward”.

I then relayed the story to my friend (and now business partner), and at that moment he wondered aloud if there was any way to put a “leash” on the iPhone so that it would not wander very far from its owner.

From this experience, the iPhoneChain was born.