iWritingPen is a remote control utility for Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, allowing users to manage slides and desktop inputs from an iPhone or iPad.
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
Users hire iWritingPen to maintain audience engagement by moving away from the desktop during presentations, but the current lack of updates prevents it from serving this job reliably.
For Professional presenters and speakers who use Microsoft PowerPoint and require remote control of their desktop environment from an iPhone or iPad.
What does it look like?
Key features
Remote navigation buttons for advancing or reversing slides during presentations.
Annotation tool for writing on top of active PowerPoint slides.
Toggles the display to black to shift audience focus.
Full control of desktop input devices via mobile interface.
Supports native iOS handwriting and voice recognition for text entry.
How much does it cost?
The freemium model gates advanced presentation tools behind a one-time purchase, while maintaining a free utility tier to drive user acquisition.
Velocity
Dormant developmentUX improvementsperformanceShow more...
The app has reached a zombie state, with no updates or development activity recorded in over 8 years. The last release, which focused on minor bug fixes and the addition of a help page, dates back to November 2017. There is no evidence of ongoing maintenance or feature development.
Who built it?
User Sentiment
What do users think recently?
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
Not enough recent reviews to extract reliable themes yet.
Read the full review analysisCompetition
Competitive landscape for iWritingPen Control Pointer
How's the Utilities market?
iWritingPen occupies a legacy utility niche with no recent updates, holding a 4-star rating on a single review. The lack of development activity since 2017 signals a sunset posture in the competitive utilities market.
Read the market outlookThe rivals identified
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Access the full report for freeThe Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for iWritingPen Control Pointer
Where is it heading?
The market for presentation utilities is consolidating around integrated software solutions, leaving standalone remote apps like iWritingPen increasingly isolated. Without a major technical refresh to address modern connectivity standards, the app will likely continue to lose relevance as professional users migrate to more stable, updated alternatives.
- The eight-year update gap creates a high risk of OS incompatibility, which erodes user trust and prevents new professional adoption.
The SWOT
- Native handwriting and voice input integration reduces friction for rapid text entry during live presentations.
- Freemium utility tier drives initial user acquisition without requiring immediate financial commitment.
- Modernizing the desktop client to support current Windows and macOS versions could recapture lost professional users.
- Integrating cloud-based slide storage would remove the current dependency on local desktop client installation.
Next best moves
Audit current OS compatibility because the last update was in 2017 → determine if the app is functional.
The counter-intuitive read
The app's long-term abandonment is a feature, not a bug…
Read the full takeSince the last report: The product remains in a zombie state, but the analysis has shifted from exploring potential pivots to focusing on the immediate risk of total failure and product obsolescence.
Bottom line
iWritingPen provides a functional remote-control utility for PowerPoint, but its eight-year update drought makes it a high-risk choice for professional environments, so the PM should prioritize a stability audit before considering any feature expansion.
Unlock 2 critical frictions, 2 market threats and the analyst’s take.
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