Daniel and Manton talk about the community drama and impending fiasco of WordPress and Matt Mullenweg vs. WP Engine. They weigh the arguments of either side. Then they consider the larger issue of dependencies we have on the platforms we develop for, and how we strive for independence from platforms that can make or break our business.
Daniel and Manton talk about the latest releases of iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia, and the confusion of macOS versioning with the switch from 10.15 to 11. They explore new iOS features like home screen customization. Then Daniel describes the change in macOS Sequoia to limit keyboard shortcuts that use only the option key.
Daniel and Manton talk about the Overcast redesign and customers getting upset about changes to workflows they are used to. Manton gives an update on his new text editor and early bugs. And finally, the current state of SwiftUI and how to decide when to start from scratch with a new framework.
Manton and Daniel discuss closed platforms vs. more open platforms, Apple’s new EU rules around linking for external purchases, and Patreon’s option to pass Apple’s fee on to creators or patrons. Then, a coding update on Manton’s work on a new text editor for Micro.blog, comparing and contrasting with MarsEdit’s text editor.
Daniel and Manton check in about the Apple Vision Pro. Is it on the precipice of failure? Is there a killer app for it? How would the Apple Vision Pro have done if a smaller company came out with it? They talk about playing the long game vs. the short game, and how much harder it is to play the long game as a struggling indie. Focusing on finessing little things in a product or adding new features, and working on the features of an app or service that a customer expects the app or service to do.
Daniel and Manton discuss the latest news with Apple and the European Union, including that Apple is withholding features such as Apple Intelligence. Will they go so far as to stop selling iPhones in the EU rather than face a large fine? Apple has become accustomed to their power in the mobile market, but have they met their match with the EU? Then, Meta’s Threads API and the difficulty of getting an app approved for Micro.blog.
It’s time for WWDC! Manton’s on the road as a heat wave hits the southwest and California. Will Apple’s AI announcements meet expectations? Will we finally get code completion? What other novel uses of AI could Apple surprise us with? Daniel and Manton talk all about WWDC, AI, the OpenAI partnership, and even what might happen with visionOS.
Daniel and Manton talk about Micro.blog’s audio features and the uniqueness of “audio narration” for blog posts. They discuss the value of human narration as a counterforce to AI, and how we can use overt feature differences to attract attention. Then, Daniel shares what’s new in the MarsEdit 5.2 update. Daniel describes his workflow for informing customers about updates they requested, a way to make both them and yourself feel good. Finally, Manton is about to start a road trip to WWDC, and they speculate about whether Apple will add a live component to WWDC when Apple’s competitors now have a live audience again — the competitive advantage of being human in a robotic era.
Micro Camp 2024 is today! Daniel and Manton talk about Micro.blog’s online event, Jean MacDonald leaving the company, and expensive top-level domain names. Then they review the announcements this week from OpenAI and Google, and what all the AI news may mean for Apple, Siri, and WWDC 2024.
Daniel and Manton react to Apple’s further tweaks to the Core Technology Fee for the App Store in the EU. They discuss Micro.blog’s new photo features that use generative AI, giving users the option to disable AI features, and more extremist anti-AI beliefs.