AppStories
Federico Viticci, John Voorhees
AppStories is a weekly exploration of the world of apps by MacStories' Federico Viticci and John Voorhees. Each week, they discuss the best new apps, the impact of apps on our culture, and cover the stories behind popular apps. Hosted by Federico Viticci and John Voorhees.
- 32 minutes 26 secondsShortcuts Utility Apps Revisited
This week, Federico and John explore a collection of Shortcuts helper utilities that extend functionality beyond the built-in system actions, sharing how these apps address gaps in Apple’s Shortcuts implementation across the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
On AppStories+, John interviews Federico about his recent story that concludes web applications often provide superior experiences to native apps on iPad, examining how this trend reflects broader challenges in the iPad ecosystem.
Subscribe here.
We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.
To learn more about an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.
This episode is sponsored by:
- Incogni – Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code APPSTORIES with this link and get 60% off an annual plan.
Links and Show Notes
Shortcuts Utility Apps
- AppStories, Episode 145: Shortcuts Utility Apps
- Shortcuts Helper Apps
- Actions
- MenuBot
- AI Actions
- Shortery
- Actions for Obsidian
- Browser Actions
- Alex Hay’s Apps, now developed by Snailed It
- BarCuts
- Text Workflow
- Also mentioned
Follow us on Mastodon
Follow us on Bluesky
16 March 2025, 3:45 pm - 35 minutes 24 secondsOur Self-Imposed Tech Deadlines
This week, Federico and John share their self-imposed tech deadlines for the hardware and software they use.
On AppStories+, Federico and John follow up their tech deadlines with the hardware they expect to add to their setups in 2025.
Subscribe here.
We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.
To learn more about an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.
This episode is sponsored by:
- Memberful – Easy-to-Use Reliable Membership Software
Links and Show Notes
Our Tech Deadlines
- Federico
- Absent significant improvements in iPadOS 19, Federico will add a Mac to his setup.
- Unless ChatGPT starts integrating more tightly with apps, Federico will cancel his subscription.
- Absent new exclusives, Federico will sell his PS5.
- John
- Barring substantial iPadOS improvements, John plans to experiment with Android tablets.
- If Apple’s cellular modems extend the battery life of the iPhone 17 Pro phones, John may drop out of Plus Club.
- If Apple supports third-party plugins for Final Cut Pro for iPad, John will consider moving more of his video editing to the iPad.
Follow us on Mastodon
Follow us on Bluesky
9 March 2025, 3:28 pm - 32 minutes 14 secondsThe Missing Middle
This week, Federico and John examine the widening gap between consumer and enterprise apps, asking what happened to prosumer and small business app market.
On AppStories+, John doesn’t buy Apple’s explanation of why the iPhone 16e doesn’t have MagSafe and has an email-adjacent theory about task managers.
Subscribe here.
We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.
To learn more about an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.
This episode is sponsored by:
- Incogni – Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code APPSTORIES with this link and get 60% off an annual plan.
Links and Show Notes
Why Aren’t Developers Making Prosumer and Small Business Apps Anymore?
- Todoist
- Fantastical
- PDFpen
- Beeper
- Adium
- GroupMe
- Slack
- Discord
- Microsoft Teams
- Notion
- Shortwave
- Claude
- Memberful
- GitHub
- 1Password
- Google Workspace
Follow us on Mastodon
Follow us on Bluesky
2 March 2025, 4:43 pm - 29 minutes 35 seconds5 for 5: Five Predictions, Five Years
This week, Federico and John make five app predictions for the next five years covering everything from App Intents and automation to the fate of the App Store.
On AppStories+, John talks through a very specific use case for Apple’s new iPhone 16e.
Subscribe here.
We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.
To learn more about an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.
This episode is sponsored by:
- P – The water reminder and hydration app.
Links and Show Notes
5 for 5: Five App Predictions for the Next Five Years
- Additional Reading:
- Apple Intelligence: The MacStories Overview
- iOS and iPadOS 18: The MacStories Review
- macOS Sequoia: The MacStories Review
- Gemini 2.0 and LLMs Integrated with Apps
- Apple Intelligence in iOS 18.2: A Deep Dive into Working with Siri and ChatGPT, Together
- Apple Reveals A Partial Timeline for the Rollout of More Apple Intelligence Features
- Apple’s Commitment to AI Is Clear, But Its Execution Is Uneven
- Widgets and What Apple’s Recent Expansion of App Intents Might Mean for the Shortcuts App
- An App Store First: Delta Adds Patreon Link for Purchase and Perks
- The Delta Videogame Emulator Launches on the App Store
Follow us on Mastodon
Follow us on Bluesky
23 February 2025, 4:17 pm - 31 minutes 7 secondsA Classic Pick 2: Hidden Gems
This week, Federico and John each pick two apps you may or may not have heard of or considered using and explain why you should give them a try.
On AppStories+, we extend our picks with several more apps we’ve been testing recently. Learn more at appstories.plus.
This episode is sponsored by:
- Memberful – Easy-to-Use Reliable Membership Software
- Incogni – Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code APPSTORIES with this link and get 60% off an annual plan.
Links and Show Notes
Classic Pick 2: Hidden Gems Edition
- Federico’s Picks
- John’s Picks
- ScreenFloat
- MassReplaceIt
- Also Mentioned:
Follow us on Mastodon
Follow us on Bluesky
16 February 2025, 4:56 pm - 35 minutes 55 secondsThoughts on Covering AI Our Way
This week, Federico and John say goodbye to the AppStories+ pre-show and hello to the new post-show. Then, for the main event, they update listeners on how MacStories plans to cover AI news and tools.
Links and Show Notes
Thoughts on Covering AI
- AI Companies Need to Be Regulated An Open Letter to the U.S. Congress and European Parliament
- Apps and Services Mentioned:
Subscribe here.
We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.
To learn more about the benefits included with an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.
Follow us on Mastodon
Follow us on Bluesky
9 February 2025, 4:11 pm - 34 minutes 4 secondsLife Tracking, Journaling, and the Vision Pro with Devon Dundee
This week, Federico and John are joined by Devon Dundee of the Magic Rays of Light podcast to talk about his approaches to life tracking and journaling and how the Apple Vision Pro has become his primary computer.
Links and Show Notes
Life Tracking, Journaling, and the Vision Pro
- Awesome Habits
- Chronicling
- Collections
- Everlog
- Apple Vision Pro
- More Apps
- Follow Devon Online:
Subscribe here.
We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.
To learn more about the benefits included with an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.
Follow us on Mastodon
Follow us on Bluesky
2 February 2025, 4:48 pm - 35 minutes 22 secondsThree Browsers Are Better Than One with Matt Birchler
This week, for episode 420 Federico and John are joined by Matt Birchler, co-host of Comfort Zone and many other projects to talk about web apps, email, AI, and more.
This episode is sponsored by:
Links and Show Notes
Web Apps, AI, and the Future of App Stores
- Browsers
- How Chinese AI Startup DeepSeek Made a Model that Rivals OpenAI
- Matt’s Recent App Favorites
- Quick Reviews
- Where to Find Matt Birchler
Check out our Desk Setups: https://www.macstories.net/setups/
Follow us on Mastodon
Follow us on Bluesky
26 January 2025, 3:58 pm - 30 minutes 46 secondsAn Apple Intelligence Wish List
This week, Federico and John look ahead to WWDC and beyond to consider how Apple Intelligence could be used to change the way we use our iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
Links and Show Notes
An Apple Intelligence Wish List
- A more conversational Siri
- Developer Tools
- Pixelmator Team to Join Apple
Follow us on Mastodon
Follow us on Threads
Follow us on Instagram
19 January 2025, 6:19 pm - 28 minutes 46 secondsApple Prophecies and Predictions for 2025
This week on AppStories, Federico and John predict what we’ll see from Apple in 2025. From agentic AI to App Intents and Siri, they explore what will shape the year ahead and the implications to users and developers.
This episode is sponsored by:
- Memberful – Easy-to-Use Reliable Membership Software
Links and Show Notes
Apple 2025 Predictions and Prophecies
Federico:
- There will be more agentic AI than ever
- Even more Chromium browsers with AI features
- Apple will acquire a smaller AI company like Mistral
- More smart glasses will be released as will custom community firmware for the Meta Ray-Bans
- Vision Pro apps will come to Android XR
- Game streaming apps will come to the iPhone
- Someone will try to get a Sony PS4 emulator approved by Apple app reviewers
John:
- A shakeout of AI apps
- App Intents adoption will be slow
- The Apple Watch will gain new sensors and Apple and Massimo will settle their blood oxygen dispute
- AI will continue to slow development of other OS features
- We’ll see more innovative game controllers for the iPhone
Follow us on Mastodon
Follow us on Bluesky
Affiliate Linking Policy[Link](Apple Prophecies and Predictions for 2025)
12 January 2025, 5:23 pm - 24 minutes 54 secondsOur Holiday Nerd Projects
This week, Federico and John round up the tech and productivity projects they have planned for their annual holiday break.
Links and Show Notes
Holiday Nerd Projects
- Mentioned
- ChatGPT
- Claude
- NotebookLM
- Zapier
- Retroid Pocket 5
- Obsidian
- Logitech Creative Console
- Mac mini and retro gaming
- TRMNL
Follow us on Mastodon
Follow us on Threads
Follow us on Instagram
22 December 2024, 4:28 pm - Mentioned
- More Episodes? Get the App