A SCOTS schoolboy dubbed “the next Bill Gates” has invented an iPhone application which could make him an instant millionaire.
Angus Ireland, 15, from Edinburgh, and three pals have come up with an application which could be the next big thing on Apple’s must-have accessory.
The four boys have created an “app” to help shoppers to find the best bargains in their area.
Bringing together price comparison sites such as Kelkoo and the iPhone’s GPS locator, the idea allows bargain-hunters find the cheapest supplier of any product.
Angus and three classmates at Portobello High – Andrew Flowers, 14, Mikal Jedrzejczak, 14, and Rory Harper, 15 – have christened their innovative product the ‘iDeal’.
The user simply types in what product they are looking for and the iDeal will tell them where to find the shop selling it the cheapest, and also allow the user to receive quick and easy directions to the shop.
Boys are “absolute geniuses”
The computer whizz-kids also envisage the iPhone camera could be used to scan product bar codes before a purchase is made so they can check they are getting the best deal.
Teachers at the Edinburgh secondary have described Angus as “the next Bill Gates” and the four schoolboys as “an absolute geniuses”.
Rory said: “It was about a month ago we went to the conference and we didn’t really know what to expect.
“We had a brainstorming session with Adventi and things just took off from there.
“The concept is really easy. You just type in the product you are looking for and the iDeal will tell you where the cheapest product is available. It will also tell you how to get there quickest.
“Shops will be keen to sign up for the service as it will mean more custom for them.”
And Angus added: “We were trying to think of ways to save people money, what with the credit crunch and everything.
“We thought ‘What if you are on Princes Street and want to know the best place to buy a CD? This would tell you the shop to head for and also give you a map showing you how to get there’.”
School proud of pupils
The idea emerged at a university conference promoting computing skills to pupils run by IT company Adventi.
The company now plans to link up with a software developer in a bid to make the schoolboys’ dream a reality.
Edward Chance, Adventi’s chief executive, said: “The pupils will take a royalty on whatever sales come through from it.”
And the computing quartet’s teachers are not surprised their star pupils came up with the genius idea.
Brian Clark, head of the school’s computing department, said: “The boys were at an IT workshop when they had a brainstorming session to come up with a new idea for the iPhone.
“They analysed all the iPhone’s functions and came up with iDeal, which in my opinion is pure genius.
“The boys are all very talented and hopefully can carve a career for themselves in the computing industry.
“The whole school is extremely proud of the four lads and we are all delighted with their progress.
“In fact, since starting S3 computing Angus has been programming and doing work above Higher level. We are now considering presenting him for the Higher at the end of S4, but it is still early days yet.
“He could well become the next Bill Gates.”
iPhone users can buy their accessories from the Apps Store online shop which has already helped propel one iPhone app inventor to millionaire status.
Unknown American gamer, Steve Demeter, used to work for a major bank before inventing the iPhone puzzle game Trism.
His product made over £150,000 in the first two months of being on sale, and within a year he had passed the magic million pound mark.
