John Voorhees

3107 posts on MacStories since November 2015

John is MacStories’ Managing Editor, has been writing about Apple and apps since joining the team in 2015, and today, runs the site alongside Federico.

John also co-hosts four MacStories podcasts: AppStories, which covers the world of apps, MacStories Unwind, which explores the fun differences between American and Italian culture and recommends media to listeners, Ruminate, a show about the weird web and unusual snacks, and NPC: Next Portable Console, a show about the games we take with us.

@[email protected]
@johnvoorhees.macstories.net
[email protected]

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Albums

Algorithm-Free Listening for Music Lovers

The Latest from AppStories and Ruminate

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

For the latest WWDC episode of AppStories, Federico is joined by Myke Hurley to talk about the Vision Pro and Apple Intelligence before John pops up with some AI tidbits and a WWDC vibe check from in and around Apple Park.

This episode is sponsored by:

For this special episode of AppStories, Federico is joined by Jonathan and Niléane live in the Club MacStories+ Discord community to share their first impressions of the WWDC 2024 Keynote.

This episode is sponsored by:

  • Kolide – It ensures that if a device isn’t secure it can’t access your apps. It’s Device Trust for Okta. Watch the demo now.

Recorded live in the Club MacStories Discord, Federico share their final preparations and plans for WWDC 2024 along with some last-minute predictions.

On AppStories+, Federico reveals his trio of iPad Pros and we take questions from Club members about WWDC.

This episode is sponsored by:

CleanMyMac X: Your Mac. As good as new. Get 15% off today with code APPSTORIES15.
- Kolide – It ensures that if a device isn’t secure it can’t access your apps. It’s Device Trust for Okta. Watch the demo now.

This week, new MacStories podcasts, the Ruminate intro song is back, snack news, some keyboard accessories, and an alternative to the small web.

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A Look at Code Completion and Swift Assist Coming in Xcode 16

Source: Apple.

Source: Apple.

Earlier today, I got the very first live demo of Swift Assist, one of the many developer tools introduced today by Apple. I also saw code completion in action. It was an impressive demo, and although the tools seem like magic and will undoubtedly be valuable to developers, they do have their limitations, which are worth exploring.

Code Completion in Action. Source: Apple.Replay

First, from what I could tell, code completion works extremely well. The demo I saw was of a simple restaurant app that displayed a menu. As an Apple representative typed variables and other items into Xcode, code completion named things in ways that made sense for a restaurant menu, such as Name, Price, and Calories. The feature also filled in types like strings, integers, and bools, along with the appropriate surrounding syntax.

In most cases, after typing just a handful of characters, the correct suggestion appeared and with a quick tap of the Tab key, the rest of the line of code was filled in. When the suggestion wasn’t what was wanted, a little additional typing steered the AI that backs code completion to the correct solution.

The model that drives code completion is trained specifically for the Swift programming language and Apple’s APIs. It runs locally on a developer’s Mac, enhancing privacy and ensuring that it’s available regardless of Internet connectivity. Although Apple was vague about the code on which the model was trained, it was clear from my briefing that it wasn’t on Apple’s own internal code, but Apple said it is code that it is authorized to use. I was also told that the model isn’t trained on the code of the developers that use the feature. Also worth noting is that Apple’s code completion model is continually updated independent of the update release cycle of Xcode itself.

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The Latest from Comfort Zone, Magic Rays of Light, and MacStories Unwind

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

In this debut episode, the Comfort Zone crew talks about what Apple should steal from the Meta Quest 3, how an iPad enthusiast takes advantage of a new Mac, and how precious family photos were saved from being lost to time.

Then there’s the challenge! We all spent a few weeks using Apple Reminders for task management, and our challenge for week 2 is something none of us saw coming…

This week on Magic Rays of Light, Sigmund and Devon reveal an Apple TV project Sigmund’s been working on, share their WWDC predictions, and recap Loot.

This week, I’m off to WWDC, our MacStories Unwind playlist gets updated, two new podcasts join the MacStories podcast family, and a sad story about the USPS and Anbernic’s RG35XXSP. Plus an immersive video pick for the Vision Pro and a music pick.

This episode is sponsored by:

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What’s in My WWDC 2024 Bag?

My [Tom Bihn Synapse 25](https://www.tombihn.com/collections/backpacks/products/synapse-25?variant=42796481904829) backpack.

My Tom Bihn Synapse 25 backpack.

It’s time to get packed for WWDC, and like most years, my carry-on bag will be stuffed with everything I need to cover the event for MacStories. This year, I’ve focused on streamlining my podcast recording setup after some problems that slowed me down last year. Built around my everyday ‘away from home’ setup that I’ve been using for several months, I think I finally have a simple yet powerful writing and podcasting travel setup that should serve me well on the trip.

11" M4 iPad Pro and MacBook Pro.

11” M4 iPad Pro and MacBook Pro.

The center of my setup will be a 14” M3 Max MacBook Pro that Apple sent me for testing. It’s a fantastic computer that’s more than capable of handling the research, writing, and audio production work I’ll be doing, along with any video taken during the week.

I’ll also take my new 11” iPad Pro, which should help lighten my bag when I’m traveling back and forth from my hotel to Apple Park. Swapping my old 12.9” iPad Pro for the new 11” model will be perfect for this sort of trip. I plan to use it for getting some work done on the flight to California and for taking notes at the WWDC keynote. It’s hard to jot much down during the event while you’re sitting outside in the sun, so anything more than my iPad would be overkill.

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Apple Highlights Its 2023 Developer Programs

Every year, Apple recaps the programs and other services it has launched for developers. Ever since I started covering Apple, there’s been a certain amount of tension between it and its developers. This year, that strain is running higher than I’ve ever seen, at least among the solo and small developer teams we typically cover.

However, it can simultaneously be true that Apple provides valuable resources for developers that are constantly changing. In a press release today, Apple highlights the following developer programs from 2023:

This year, Apple has also updated the Apple Developer Forums in advance of WWDC and rolled out Pathways, a collection of videos, documentation, and other resources focused on core topics like Design, Swift, SwiftUI, Games, visionOS, and App Store distribution.

There are a lot of great resources here. Far more than when I was learning to code around 2015. I’m particularly intrigued by Pathways, which looks as though it does an excellent job of pulling together materials that would otherwise require developers to consult multiple sources.

Announcing the Club MacStories WWDC Discount

WWDC begins next week, and it’s one of the best times of the year for Club MacStories members. To celebrate, we’re offering 20% off all annual Club MacStories plans from today though Friday, June 14, so as many people as possible can get in on the special things we do during Apple’s annual developer event.

To take advantage of the discounted plans, please use the coupon code WWDC2024 at checkout or click on one of the buttons below.

Join Club MacStories:

Join Club MacStories+:

Join Club Premier:

Visit our [Plans page](https://club.macstories.net/plans) for more details on each Club option.

Visit our Plans page for more details on each Club option.

This year, for WWDC, we are kicking things off today with a live recording of AppStories in the Club MacStories Discord community. The community is a feature of Club MacStories+ and Premier memberships and has grown into a vibrant, respectful place to hang out with app and automation fans who help each other get the most out of their technology. The live episode of AppStories will cover final predictions for Apple’s WWDC keynote and a behind-the-scenes look at our preparations and plans for the week. The episode will be released later on the usual schedule, but Discord members will have the chance to participate live and ask questions for the AppStories+ segment.

Then, during WWDC itself, we’ll record three extra episodes of AppStories live in Discord during the conference, covering the keynote, State of the Union, and other announcements. We’ll also publish a special issue of our MacStories Weekly newsletter for Club members packed with more WWDC coverage and details.

The support of Club MacStories members is the foundation of MacStories. Without it, projects like the new podcasts we introduced this week wouldn’t be possible. The Club has given us the freedom to work with a growing group of writers, focus on our in-depth stories and reviews, and build a closer relationship with readers, too. With Club members’ support, we’re not slowing down, either. We have even more projects in the pipeline for later this year.

We know that folks are inundated with subscriptions these days, which is why we work hard to offer what we think is a great value at every tier of the Club. Our eight-year track record of consistency and content, including more than 500 issues of our newsletters, speaks for itself, but we also realize that committing to an annual plan is still a lot, which is why we’re offering this discount.

Here’s a breakdown of each tier and the discounts we’re offering through June 14, 2024:

Normally Through June 14
Club MacStories $50/year $40
Club MacStories+ $100/year $80
Club Premier $120/year $96

If you’re not familiar with the Club, you can learn more and compare plans side-by-side here and read our FAQ page.

These discounts are available to anyone signing up for one annual Club membership for the first time, reactivating an expired plan, or upgrading a current plan.

To take advantage of the discounted plans, please use the coupon code WWDC2024 at checkout or click on one of the buttons below.

When you change a monthly plan to an annual one, you'll get credit for the remainder of your current month's subscription.

When you change a monthly plan to an annual one, you’ll get credit for the remainder of your current month’s subscription.

Join Club MacStories:

Join Club MacStories+:

Join Club Premier:

Thanks as always to our many loyal Club MacStories members, and welcome to everyone joining for the first time. You’ve all helped us grow, launch new projects, and build MacStories on a strong foundation while staying independent and true to our editorial values. We look forward to bringing you even more of what makes MacStories special for a long time to come.

Apple Design Award Winners Announced

Crouton (left) and Gentler Streak (right). Source: Apple.

Crouton (left) and Gentler Streak (right). Source: Apple.

Apple has announced the winners of the 2024 Apple Design Award. Just over one week ago, Apple revealed six finalists in each of seven categories.

This year’s winners include an app and game in each category for a total of 14 winners, including MacStories favorites like Crouton, Gentler Streak, and Blackbox:

Delight and Fun

Inclusivity

Innovation

Interaction

  • App: Crouton by Devin Davies (New Zealand)
  • Game: Rytmos by Floppy Club (Denmark)

Social Impact

Visuals and Graphics

  • App: Rooms by Things, Inc. (United States)
  • Game: Lies of P by NEOWIZ (South Korea)

Spatial Computing

This year’s ADAs represent a wide cross-section of apps, from solo developers to large corporations. Of course, I’m partial to the indies on the list, but overall, I think Apple’s choices this year are excellent.

Comfort Zone Debuts on MacStories’ YouTube Channel→

Comfort Zone is a weekly podcast about trying new things. Every Thursday, co-hosts Matt Birchler, Niléane Dorffer, and Christopher Lawley challenge themselves and each other to try something new in their tech lives whether it’s hardware, an app, a workflow, an automation, or something else. It’s a fun way to explore the tech world with the show’s hosts.

But Comfort Zone isn’t just a new podcast at MacStories. It’s also our first podcast on our new YouTube channel. The first episode, which has its own playlist on the channel and is embedded below, is out today.

Of course, you can also subscribe to the audio-only version of the show too. Links to subscribe to the audio version in Apple Podcasts, popular podcast players, and the show’s RSS feed are all available on MacStories.

It’s great to have Comfort Zone on the MacStories YouTube channel. This is a new experiment for us, but with the early enthusiasm for the video version of the show, I expect Comfort Zone is just the start of more to come from MacStories. So, be sure to check out episode 1 of the Comfort Zone on YouTube, subscribe to our channel, and let us know what you think.

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Sequel 2.3’s Magic Lookup Is a Perfect Example of How Apps Should Integrate AI

If you haven’t tried Sequel to track your media queues, you’re missing out and have some catching up to do. There’s a reason we gave Sequel 2.0 the MacStories Selects Best App Update award last year. The app, which is available on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro, is one of the very best media trackers in a very crowded field.

One way to get up to speed with Sequel’s core features is my review of version 2.0, which I won’t repeat here. Since that review, developer Romain Lefebvre has released updates that continue to improve the app in meaningful ways. However, today’s version 2.3 release is special because it’s one of the first apps I’ve tried that uses AI in a truly useful, non-gimmicky way. Plus, the update adds Shortcuts integration, allowing users to automate the app in new ways, as well as a Markdown-compatible note-taking feature and new layout and search options.

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