Developing Perspective

Episodes page 1 of 5

1. #229: Portal Gun Development

   15 Oct 2026 · 14 min

   Gone are the days of map-and-compass development, now if we can imagine it and see a line of sight to it we can build things nearly instantly. Which totally changes the cognitive and structural tradeoffs we need to…

2. #228: New Platforms

   8 Oct 2026 · 18 min

   I walk through the history of Apple developer platforms over my history as an app developer and grade them, then think a bit about what has made them worthwhile. Watch on YouTube

3. #227: Pivotal

   1 Oct 2026 · 15 min

   I’m bringing Developing Perspective back. This first episode wrestles through why being an indie app developer right now feels so “pivotal”, in both senses of the word. There’s the constant, week-by-week change in our…

4. Developing a New Perspective

   4 Nov 2015 · 5:37

   • Under the Radar RSS Feed • Overcast Link • iTunes Link • PocketCasts Subscribe Link I am delighted to announce that today I am launching a new development related podcast with Marco Arment. It is called Under the…

5. #225: Users per Day.

   12 Aug 2015 · 15 min

   I tend to think of my app business in terms of revenue per day. Breaking it down to that level helps me keep a close eye on it and know how well or poorly I’m doing. Today I walk through the reasoning for this as well…

6. #224: Unplanned Absence.

   31 Jul 2015 · 15 min

   Some thoughts on the implications of having to take an unplanned absence from your work when you are self-employed. There are a lot of benefits of being independent that manifest themselves in a situation like this but…

7. #223: What to expect this summer.

   26 Jun 2015 · 15 min

   An overview of what to expect this summer: • the beta schedule, • timing for release, • the importance of RADARS, • my growing interest in Swift and • an encouragement for everyone to build something new this summer.…

8. #222: WWDC 2015 First Impressions.

   8 Jun 2015 · 13 min

   First Impressions from WWDC 2015. These are my initial reactions right after the Keynote, I’ll probably do another episode later in the week which has more considered reactions.

9. #221: Circular Revenue.

   29 May 2015 · 15 min

   Some high level thoughts about WWDC and my excitement for it. Then, a few thoughts about whether mobile advertising is in a precarious position.

10. #220: The Essential Experience.

    22 May 2015 · 15 min

    Today I begin a new Start-to-Finish series discussing the creation of an application from idea to the App Store. My Essential Experience Target: An application focused on surfacing the data currently collected by the…

11. #219: Accidental.

    14 May 2015 · 13 min

    • 2015 Developing Perspective t-shirts (4 days to order, ends May 18.) One of the most dangerous traps when learning from someone else’s experience is ascribing intentionality to what in reality was accidental. This…

12. #218: Blazing Trails.

    8 May 2015 · 15 min

    • 2015 Developing Perspective t-shirts (1 Week left to order.) Once again the topic of sustainable revenue has surfaced around our lovely community. I’ve recently been changing/adapting my thinking on the subject so…

13. #217: The Brand.

    1 May 2015 · 15 min

    • 2015 Developing Perspective t-shirts • My WatchKit Apps • Release Notes Conference In some ways this week’s episode is a follow up to last week’s show about hustle. All that thinking about the role that asking…

14. #216: The Hustle.

    23 Apr 2015 · 13 min

    Thinking through why I have such a hang up about talking about and asking for Money. Why this is probably not such a great thing for my business and what I might do to fix it. • My WatchKit Apps

15. #215: Insidious Features.

    17 Apr 2015 · 14 min

    How to build little features into your applications that re-wire your user’s brains to come to expect a certain behavior. These ‘insidious’ features are a delightful way to help build loyalty with your customers.

16. #214: App Store Snowstorm.

    9 Apr 2015 · 14 min

    Simultaneous Invention or setting realistic expectations for uniqueness. • Simultaneous Invention

17. #213: Showing Up and Shipping Apps.

    2 Apr 2015 · 15 min

    After a longer than typical break I’m back with another episode…on a related note I’m talking about how to get unstuck. How I manage the situation that seems to happen often enough where I get stuck in a creative rut.…

18. #212: Four Phases of a Gold Rush.

    27 Feb 2015 · 15 min

    In the run up to Apple’s media event on March 9th I keep hearing the phrase ‘Gold Rush’ over and over again. Today I unpack that concept and whether it might apply to the Apple Watch. The Phases of Gold Rush: • The…

19. #211: Asterisk Free Marketing.

    11 Feb 2015 · 13 min

    Prompted by some thinking I did around building the App Preview for Pedometer++, I start to wonder about honesty in advertising. How honesty should I be? What level of candor is appropriate, helpful, reasonable? •…

20. #210: Polymaths.

    30 Jan 2015 · 15 min

    I’m not a huge fan of the term polymath. It sounds kinda pretentious but sometimes the best word for something is that way. Today I was struck by the wild variety of tasks and skills that it takes to run a business…

21. #209: Not so Fast.

    23 Jan 2015 · 15 min

    Today I walk through my history thinking about Swift. From WWDC to now I’ve done a lot of thinking about Swift as whether I should be using it. The result makes me feel a bit conflicted, but the brutally pragmatic part…

22. #208: Sam Soffes.

    15 Jan 2015 · 48 min

    I take a break out of my normal 15 minute format for a return of my occational interview series. This week I’m delighted to talk to Sam Soffes about balancing your own product work with doing consulting, different ways…

23. #207: Irresistible Complexity

    10 Jan 2015 · 14 min

    Rather than wading into the hullabaloo regarding Apple’s software quality directly I instead decided to take a step backwards and consider the forces that have driven us to this situation in the first place. My goal is…

24. #206: Can the App Store be Full?

    12 Dec 2014 · 14 min

    Today I think out loud about the implications of an App Store that is functionally full. Where applications cannot realistically thrive simply because of novelty or freshness. Whatever you do now you are facing up…

25. #205: AILW - Economics of WatchKit Apps.

    5 Dec 2014 · 15 min

    Thinking out loud about why I recently starting my series called As I Learn WatchKit. I’ve learned a lot about the creative process by giving myself permission to put unpolished things into the world. • My first…

26. #204: Delightfully Pragmatic.

    20 Nov 2014 · 15 min

    My first reactions to WatchKit. I’m really glad Apple has given is some genuinely powerful capabilities with this first generation of APIs. • Getting Started with WatchKit • My Initial Impressions • Apple’s Main…

27. #203: Divided by One.

    14 Nov 2014 · 14 min

    For a while now I’ve had an episode idea discussing some of the ‘interesting math’ about working on a project by yourself. I discuss how working on something by yourself is so very different than in working on any…

28. #202: Four Quadrants of Ideas

    6 Nov 2014 · 15 min

    I’ve had a few folks ask me about my plans and ideas for Apple Watch. While I don’t try to be too coy about what I’m working on I’ve definitely kept some of my ideas close to the vest. I’m well aware that ideas, in…

29. #201: On Expedition.

    31 Oct 2014 · 15 min

    With the impending arrival of the AppleWatch next year and the WatchKit SDK next month I’m starting to shift my focus towards ‘wearables’. They present a few challenges to me as a developer, not the least of which is…

30. #200: Sustained.

    22 Oct 2014 · 14 min

    I recently hit a few milestones that got me thinking about the attributes of sustained projects. • My 7th iOS (iPhone) Developer Program • My first app approved 6 years ago • 200 Episodes I tried to boil them down…

31. #199: Resolution Irrelevant.

    17 Oct 2014 · 15 min

    Thinking through the Retina iMac in a world where pixels stop mattering. Also, what’s going on with the iPad? • Marco Arments’s thoughts on Retina iMac vs Mac Pro • AnandTech’s Hands-on

32. #198: Boring and Superstitious.

    8 Oct 2014 · 15 min

    While a single button might seem somewhat boring or mundane to discuss I unpack the process of thinking through a single button in Emoji++. Specifically how to handle editing of favorites. Ultimately I went with an…

33. #197: Speculative Development.

    3 Oct 2014 · 15 min

    Talking through the process that ultimately lead to the creation of Emoji++, my recently launched custom keyboard for iOS 8. 🎉

34. #196: Faust had it easy.

    24 Sep 2014 · 15 min

    Getting an app ready for day one of an iOS/device launch is impossible to do right. As a developer you have a variety of options available for how you approach it, none of which are perfect. Trade Offs: • App Review…

35. #195: Pincer Maneuvers and Stubbed Toes.

    17 Sep 2014 · 15 min

    With the rollout of iOS 8 upon us I consider two aspects of the current Apple ecosystem that appear to lie in tension. Pincer Maneuvers Apple is fantastic at laying groundwork. When you take a step back and how their…

36. #194: In Review.

    4 Sep 2014 · 15 min

    Today I wanted to take a quick run through the App Review Guidelines. Love ‘em. Hate ‘em. They are one of the most core parts of creating and distributing apps for the App Store. I will give some high level thoughts…

37. #193: Update Treadmill.

    8 Aug 2014 · 15 min

    Today I’m going to dive into the world of app updates. Why we do them, how often we do them and whether they are important. Context I did a long analysis of the update trends in the App Store. I recommend you visit…

38. #192: Nobility of Effort.

    30 Jul 2014 · 15 min

    This past week has seen an explosion of writing and discussion about the business of making software for sale on the iOS App Store. Personally I love it when these little bubbles of discussion appear. If you’ve…

39. #191: Insulated Perspectives.

    24 Jul 2014 · 15 min

    Back from a delightful, extended vacation I want to take a minute (or 15) to talk about the importance of stepping back from the day to day inputs that can so easily mold or distort your views on things. The world is a…

40. #190: Everything but a Business Model

    3 Jul 2014 · 15 min

    I will be on vacation for the next two weeks, so unless something monumental happens in between now and late July there won’t be any episodes of Developing Perspective. Back at WWDC, basking in the glow of the river…

41. #189: In the Loop

    26 Jun 2014 · 15 min

    This past week we had a bit of drama about the role of podcast networks. I don’t intend to wade into that discussion but as a result of it I was asked about the role that linking and recommendations play in expanding…

42. #188: Thoughtful Accessibility

    20 Jun 2014 · 15 min

    • ASCIIwwdc Accessibility is an important aspect of software development. Apple’s platforms provide a wide array of tools for easily adding it into your apps. The return for this effort is often somewhat ephemeral but…

43. #187: Explorers

    13 Jun 2014 · 15 min

    We are exploring a new territory within the Apple developer landscape. Here is how I plan my expedition. Get a solid grasp of what’s new Start with Apple’s own overviews: • iOS 8 for Developers • What’s new in iOS •…

44. #186: Dropping Bombs

    2 Jun 2014 · 15 min

    My initial impressions on the 2014 WWDC Keynote. Wow, it was a big one.

45. #185: Pick up your Kite.

    27 May 2014 · 15 min

    This year I’m going to skip my usual soapbox speech about WWDC tips and etiquette. Given the way the ticket distribution played out it seems neither kind nor productive. If you are going to WWDC I commend these two •…

46. #184: The Middle Path?

    16 May 2014 · 15 min

    I wax philosophical about the future. Trying to wrestle with the uncertainty that surrounds our industry. Some products succeed, some products fail. Where will mine fall?

47. #183: Anxiety and Inertia

    2 May 2014 · 13 min

    My thanks to everyone who purchased a t-shirt in the last two weeks. They should be at the printer and then on their way to your door within the next week or so. Anxiety and Inertia I’ll be taking a quick break from…

48. #182: Unconventional Wisdom, Listen to Spock.

    25 Apr 2014 · 12 min

    T-shirts I am doing another run of t-shirts for the show. After I did the campaign for them last fall I heard from a lot of people that they missed out. This year I’m giving the campaign a nice long run (through April…

49. #181: Unconventional wisdom, pricing.

    18 Apr 2014 · 15 min

    T-shirts I am doing another run of t-shirts for the show. After I did the campaign for them last fall I heard from a lot of people that they missed out. This year I’m giving the campaign a nice long run (through April…

50. #180: Enduring Features.

    11 Apr 2014 · 15 min

    I hope you fared better in the WWDC lottery than I did, though I’m hopeful for a possibility of a second round on Monday (maybe?). The system and process generally went really well and I think this is likely the…