Table 1.

Overview of cases.

	Together	Sharing Care	TextMe
History of development	Developed by a carers charity through a co-design process involving potential users, charity, technology developers, and innovation support	Developed by an SME in response to a call to help coordinate care	Originally a simple, free, text and photo-based messaging system, video/VOIP incorporated later.
Vision of developers	To offer flexible, app-based, up-to-date support for carers in their role as carers, and thus supporting cared-for people.	To facilitate better coordination of care, mobilising resources available in caring networks to organise and deliver care.	To enable democratic human relationships and communication by anyone, anywhere (not necessarily carers or cared-for person)
Configuration of carers/cared-for people	Carers as family members, busy providing and sharing informal care with other people, whilst juggling work and other responsibilities. Cared-for people not necessarily ‘tech-savvy’ enough to use the app, but potentially involved (as desired and with consent).	Carers as social support, needing to mobilise resources to accurately identify, allocate, carry out and monitor tasks needed to support cared-for person (who was generally not expected to be in the network).	Carers/cared-for people not specifically considered; users are people seeking immediate contact with their social networks in convenient forms.
Distribution and cost	Directly marketed to carers as mobile and online app, downloadable via Apple and Google Play Stores for cost of £2.99 per group of carers, or free via weblink from service providers and employers who pay for use. Limited number of users, growing steadily.	Online app, downloaded via developers' website. Paid for by service providers at a cost in the thousands £ to cover a specified locality/group of people. Very limited use, networks often inactive.	Individual user downloads to device (phone, tablet, laptop) via Apple and Google Play free or minimal cost. Extensive global reach.
Functions and architecture	Profile of cared-for person created by primary carer to share with other users. Includes separate sections for tasks, notes, calendar, medications, and messages etc. Ability to assign tasks to others, check off completed tasks. Integrates with some device features (eg, phone camera). ‘Help’ feature embedded in app.	Web-based interface. Network of carers created who can post, allocate and review tasks needed and make notes.	Group and individual messaging via text, voice call, video calls, images and other media documents, ability to share user location. Integrated into other device features including contacts, camera, location/maps.
Typical use in our cases	Used by carers across multiple devices (phone, desktop pc, tablet), flexibly used as a formal record (eg, of medication), to manage and schedule tasks and for conversational messaging integrated into family communications; with family	Carers networks typically set up without cared for person; used to post jobs that need doing to request help from other carers and family members. Use on desktop pc or laptop.	Frequently used (alongside other apps) for communications generally, with dedicated groups set up to focus on caring for an individual family member (usually not included in the group).