*Update 12-17-2009* The lite version of this app is no longer available. We recommend checking out our review of Groups, a similar app.
One of the deficiencies of the current iPhone software is the inability to create or edit groups of contacts. It’s also time consuming to send an email to a large group of people using the iPhone. ABContacts Lite (free, iTunes link) solves these problems. The app allows you to create groups and add or remove contacts from existing groups on the iPhone. All changes sync with the iPhone’s default Contacts app as well as Address Book on Macs.
Double tapping a group also allows for mass emailing. The app will ask if you want to enter all the addresses in the To: field or BCC: field (blind emails). It will then launch the iPhone’s Mail app with all the addresses inserted into the corresponding field.
ABContacts Lite is a free download in the iTunes App Store.
There is also a full version, ABContacts ($4.99, iTunes link), that offers more features including smart groups, which can be used to set conditions to automatically add contacts into certain groups. You can set rules for characteristics like company, city, or birthday. Check out the videos below for a closer (and longer winded) look at the full version.
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#1 by Amin on July 7th, 2009
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Pretty cool App. Videos above are only for full version. Lite version has limited options but more than enough needed to send group emails text and calls. I really like that it syncs with my normal contacts list. I need to add some contacts to my normal address book to verify that it always updates though. Great app
#2 by Jim stubblefield on August 20th, 2009
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Not intuitive at all. How does one create a group on the go? I just have the lite version, is there no way to create a group with it? How come there isn’t a create group button?
#3 by Steve on November 4th, 2009
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ABContacts Lite is not available on Apple App Store. I only find the ABContacts ($4.99, iTunes link)
#4 by Alan on December 17th, 2009
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Thank you, I’ve updated the article.
#5 by Paddy Griffin on January 21st, 2010
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After I make a call with ABcontacts my iphone reverts to my original default Contacts list i.e. doesn’t stay in the ABcontacts ap. Can this be stopped?
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