#swift development

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Apptober: Day 9

One of my absolute *favorite* things in programming is making things talk to each other. It can be an utterly maddening task but when it goes right it feels like magic. 

Behold, watch-app and phone-app now sync the status between each other! 

The Prototype and Real Life

Earlier today I broke the watch app while I was playing around with data storage. My prototype basically just crashed every time I tried to start it. 

I shrugged this off at first until I wanted to remind myself to grab laundry out of the dryer, and I was ACTUALLY SAD it didn’t work. I can’t say I remember to use RightMeow all that often, but it’s useful enough that it made me sad when I didn’t have access to it and I’m utterly delighted by that.

Tommorow: 

This is a pretty basic implementation. Tomorrow I’ll add some better error handling for cases where the watch or phone aren’t reachable from each other.

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Apptober: Days 17+18

The last day or two I’ve been working on making the syncing of the status between phone and watch work better. Before, the status only transferred reliably when the app was open on both the phone and the watch at the same time - but no more! Background transfers to the rescue!

As you can see in the crappy gif below, setting the status on the watch immediately sends a message to the phone in the background, so when we open the RightMeow app on the phone the status is already synced: 

This also works in reverse - setting the status on the phone will send updates to the watch app even if it’s not currently open. If you have the RightMeow complication installed the status gets sent at a higher priority so that the watch will know to refresh the watch face in a reasonable amount of time:

There is a limited number of times per day that Apple allows data to be transferred from the phone to update the watch complication, but so far I haven’t managed to hit the cap (I think it’s like 50?). We’ll see how well it holds up :D

I’m really liking this feature because setting the watch status from my phone has been super useful in situations where dictating my current task to my watch would be awkward (basically anytime where I’m around people and wouldn’t want to explain why I need my watch to remember what I’m currently doing or about to do). 

Tomorrow:

I’ll probably work on fixing edge-case bugs (every once in a while the clear status function just... shits the bed for some reason...) and probably probably add a button to allow for canceling status input on the phone app (because not being able to do that is REALLY obnoxious).

[delightedcrow-deactivated]

Apptober: Days 24/25

Woot, I think I’m happy enough with where the RightMeow app is at that I can call it mostly complete! It’s still a little rough around the edges, but it does what I want it do: namely, allowing me to put a reminder on my watch face of the thing I’m supposed to be doing but got distracted from (because damnit ADHD). I particularly like using it for projects that make me fetch things from across the house (like cleaning or packing), but it’s nice to be able to put anything there, too. Sometimes I just like my watch to tell me that I’m awesome or to remind me to appreciate my surroundings.

A Recap on the Fun Things I learned/implemented doing RightMeow:

learned how to build a native WatchKit app that allows users to input a task they don't want to forget right on their watch via dictation (or scribbles!)

built a complication to put the task on the watch face (this is my fav feature by far)

Implemented the Siri Intents extension to give (VERY limited) support for Siri set the status (most disappointing feature TBH - Siri understands me inconsistently at best and not at all at worst)

Used AppGroups to share data between the phone app and its Siri extension (super easy to implement if you’re using NSUserDefaults to store data)

Used WatchConnectivity to sync the status between watch and phone apps (this was especially fun to do)

Things I might still get around to:

The phone app could use a face-lift

Any work at all on the icon or art assets

Maybe I'll list it in the App Store, just in time to be a month late honoring ADHD awareness month 😂

Up Next:

While I've still got some things left to do with RightMeow, most of them are kinda boring and I've been thinking about devoting the remaining days of Apptober to something new and shiny.

I've been thinking I might build a basic AO3 reader app or something since I've had to take a lot of trips lately and it makes me fantasize about reading Dishonored fanfics in style (and also damnit Safari do you have to try to refresh tabs I've already loaded when you KNOW I don't have wifi access?!?!). 

There are probably a billion of them already out there, but hey, it sounds fun and I subscribe to the two cakes theory of content production. What do you guys think?

[delightedcrow-deactivated]

Apptober: Day 19

Working on the first draft of adding cancel/done buttons for setting the status on the iphone app. I kinda like this version because the buttons float up above the keyboard when you go to set the status, and the text field centers itself in the middle of the screen all nice-like:

Things get a little more cramped in landscape mode though:

I could make the done/cancel buttons a little smaller, but I’m thinking I might just add the buttons to the inputAccessoryView of the keyboard (the little area that normally recommends words for you to select). I dunno how I feel about this option though - I like having the default accessory view with word recommendations because I hate typing out full words, and it’s still hilarious when iOS picks really stupid suggestions. 

I’m gonna have to ruminate on this for a while I fix that stupid clear-button-bug.

[delightedcrow-deactivated]

Apptober: Day 15

The Renaissance Fair was excellent this weekend! Dapper hats were bought, delightful beverages were consumed, and dubious puns were made in accents I’m pretty sure no Renaissance-era native on any continent would ever recognize.

As you can tell from the above screenshot of my watch-face the RightMeow prototype is doing a pretty good job at helping me remember what I was just doing. I have several things left to fix, but I think I’m pretty close to wrapping up development on this particular app. Don’t worry though, I’ve still got some ideas left about how to use the rest of Apptober!

If you’ve got any questions or suggestions on the RightMeow app (or in general), the ask box is open!

[delightedcrow-deactivated]

Apptober: Day 3

Building complications is definitely not the fun experience that I hoped it would be (I probably should have expected that given that they're called complications).

Adding a single complication for a single watch face isn't too bad, but supporting multiple watch faces gets fiddley quick. Each family of watch faces has its own template API for laying out how the complication should look so you end up with a giant, ugly block of code configuring a TON of possible templates if you want your app to support putting data on each of the possible watch faces Apple has designed. Maybe this is why Apple doesn't allow developers to make 3rd-party watch faces yet? That would be a lot of possible complications to design for... eugghhh.

Anyway, at least now I can see RightMeow’s current task sitting on the lock screen - and when I tap the complication it opens straight to the app. Handy!

I haven't decided if I want to spend tomorrow spiffing up the complications a bit more (so. many. icon. possibilities), or move on to something more interesting.

[kenkeyli]

Swift App Development Roadmap for New York Businesses in 2026

ELEVATING YOUR MOBILE PRESENCE In 2026, a responsive website is no longer enough to truly capture your customers' attention. While websites serve a purpose, a native mobile app provides the speed and seamless integration that modern users demand. Whether you are running a local service or a growing business, providing an app that lives directly on a home screen builds significant brand trust and loyalty. WHY NATIVE APPS WIN Users prioritize speed and efficiency. Native applications offer lightning-fast performance because they leverage the device's hardware directly. By utilizing features like push notifications, camera access, and GPS, you can create daily habits for your clients that a browser simply cannot match. THE VALUE OF CUSTOM ARCHITECTURE As your business grows, standard web templates often fall short. Investing in custom mobile architecture ensures that your data is secure, organized, and scalable. This approach prevents performance issues and allows your digital infrastructure to evolve alongside your business needs, saving you time and technical headaches in the long run. QUALITY SWIFT PROGRAMMING Building for iOS requires a deep focus on Apple's guidelines. Effective Swift development centers on clean, maintainable code that keeps your app stable as operating systems update. Performance is a requirement for retention; a stuttering app will be uninstalled quickly. By prioritizing a solid backend and efficient data syncing, you create a professional mobile experience that stands out in a competitive market.

[kenkeyli]

Swift Mobile App Patterns NY Developers Should Know in 2026

SWIFT MOBILE APP PATTERNS WORTH KNOWING Swift continues to shape how iOS apps are built across New York, from Manhattan to Long Island. In 2026, developers who understand proven Swift patterns have a real edge in delivering fast, polished, and user-friendly apps. WHAT MAKES THESE PATTERNS STAND OUT Ken Key, a software engineer with experience across 15+ programming languages, highlights six key approaches that consistently improve Swift app quality. KEY FOCUS AREAS - Adaptive UI Components — Swift UI makes it straightforward to build interfaces that respond cleanly to different screen sizes and orientations. - Performance Optimization — Smart code structure and efficient resource use keep apps fast and responsive. - User-Centric Design — Building around real user needs, not assumptions, leads to stronger engagement. WHY IT MATTERS FOR NY DEVELOPERS New York's app market is competitive. Developers who apply structured Swift patterns tend to ship more reliable products. These approaches reduce redundancy, improve maintainability, and support long-term scalability. Whether you are building your first Swift app or refining an existing one, understanding these patterns provides a solid foundation for better results.