"Text me when you're home" gets forgotten.
By you, by them, by everyone who fell asleep waiting.
Pupdate
Pet me if you're OK.
Location apps show where you are. Pupdate tells your friends when something's wrong, even if you can't.
An iPhone app built at SunHacks 2026, ASU.
Still good?
Pet me if you're OK.
Safety apps leave the hard part to you.
Usually at the exact moment you can't do it.
Panic buttons fail when you're scared or watched.
Hands shake. Someone is standing right there. The button stays unpressed.
A dot on a map looks the same either way.
Fine or not fine, it's still just a blue dot. Nobody knows to look.
Four steps. One very good dog.
Silence becomes the signal, so you never have to find a panic button.
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Start a walk
Pick where you're going. Your circle can follow along, only while you walk.
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The dog checks in
Every so often it tilts its head and asks, "Still good?"
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Pet it to say you're OK
Rub across the dog, or tap Pet on the Lock Screen. It wags. You earn XP.
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Go quiet and your friends are alerted
No pet? The dog gets worried, then scared, then sends your circle your location, your route and a summary.
Go quiet. See what happens.
Press the button and stop answering. In about ten seconds, the dog climbs the whole ladder.
- Calmwalking
- Asking"Still good?"
- Worriedears down
- Last chance"Pet me!"
- Countdown3, 2, 1
- Friends alertedmap + summary
Changed your mind? Pet Jordan's dog any time before the alert to call it off.
All good
Walking with Jordan.
Jordan's walk
Checked in 1 min ago
Home in 9 min. You'll only see Jordan while they're walking.
ALERT
Jordan isn't answering
- Missed 3 check-ins. Last pet 4 min ago.
- Stopped near Apache Blvd & Rural Rd, 0.6 mi from home.
You've got Jordan
Alert closed by you
Only a friend can close an alert. A late pet can't.
Simulation with sample data. The real ladder runs over minutes, not seconds.
Small dog. Serious job.
Pet to check in
The dog asks, you pet it, it wags and goes happy. Every check-in earns XP.
Escalation ladder
No jump scares. The dog climbs one rung at a time.
calmaskingworriedlast chancecountdownfriends alerted
Coercion-proof
A duress PIN shows a normal "all clear" but quietly alerts friends. Hold the dog for 2 seconds for a silent alert. A late pet can't cancel an alert; only a friend can close it.
Pace watch
Gemini notices running, backtracking, sudden stops or getting into a car, and checks in early with a reason. AI never decides whether an alert fires. Fixed rules do.
Safer routes
Walking routes that steer around spots your friends flagged as "avoid" or "caution".
Lock Screen + Dynamic Island
A Live Activity shows the dog's mood, a countdown and turn-by-turn directions, with a Pet button that works without unlocking.
Your circle
Friends see your walk only while you're walking. If you go quiet, they get a full-screen alert with a map, a summary and an "I've got them" button.
Your dog grows up
Puppy, then Scout Pup with a bandana, then Guardian Dog with a vest and headlamp. Plus a safe-walk streak.
Why not just share location?
Sharing your location is great. It just can't tell anyone that something's wrong.
| Feature | Location sharingLife360-style | Apple Check InBuilt into Messages | PupdateHackathon prototype |
|---|---|---|---|
| Checks in during the walk | No, it just tracks | Only if you stop making progress | Yes, every few minutes |
| Alerts when you go quiet | No, someone has to notice | Yes, if you don't arrive or respond | Yes, step by step |
| Duress / coercion protection | No | No duress mode | Duress PIN, silent hold |
| Detects unusual pace | No | Notices delays only | Running, backtracking, stops, cars |
| Safer routes | No | No | Around spots friends flagged |
| Only shares during the walk | No, it's always on | Yes, only if an alert fires | Yes, walk or alert only |
Based on publicly documented features, November 2026. Apple Check In is genuinely good: it alerts a contact if you don't arrive or respond, and shares your location, battery and signal when it does. Life360-style apps vary, and some add SOS or crash detection. Pupdate's difference is the check-in during the walk, plus duress protection.
Your location goes on the walk. Then it stays home.
A safety app shouldn't become a tracking app. Pupdate only shares while it matters.
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Shared only during a walk or an alertWhen the walk ends, your friends stop seeing you.
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Gemini gets walk facts, never raw coordinatesThings like pace and stops, never where you actually are.
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No adsNothing about your walk gets sold. The dog works for you.
Built with
- SwiftUI
- ActivityKit Live Activities
- App Intents
- MapKit
- FastAPI
- Python
- Google Gemini
- MongoDB Atlas
- Vultr
Good dog. You made it home.
Pupdate is open source and still learning new tricks.