Datadyne is refreshing its popular Episurveyor software that enables the collection of mobile health data using even a basic handset. The software update involves Datadyne adding more than 40 new features and the package has also undergone a name change to Magpi.

The revamped and renamed software will be launched in January 2013 when existing users will be automatically updated to the new package.

The company says its software is “the most widely used mobile data system in the development sector” with 10,000 users in more than 170 countries. In an interview last year with Mobile Health Live, CEO and co-founder Joel Selanikio said the company had 5,000 users, so the base has doubled over the last year. He also laid out a target of 100,000 by 2016, a target that would involve continued strong growth.

Foremost among the new features is faster speed, which the company says was the main request from users. Magpi will be much faster than its predecessor says the company, even over a slow cellular connection. “You’ll notice the difference immediately. Fewer page loads, faster code, everything is just much faster”, according to its website.

Other new features include the ability to create and edit long forms (form filling is what Magpi/Episurveyor is used for), as well as the ability to push forms automatically to phones in the field, and create improved mapping and data visualisation.