Best of iOS — September 2025

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   Article

   Hacker News·34w

   Apple has a private CSS property to add Liquid Glass effects to web content

   Apple has developed a private CSS property called `-apple-visual-effect` that enables Liquid Glass effects in web content within iOS apps. The property supports various system materials including the new glass effects from iOS 26, but requires enabling a private WKPreferences setting called `useSystemAppearance`. While this feature can't be used in App Store apps due to its private nature, it suggests Apple is using webviews with native UI integration in their own applications without users realizing it.

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   Article

   Hacker News·34w

   I forced myself to spend a week in Instagram instead of Xcode

   An iOS developer experiments with spending a full week focused on marketing and social media promotion instead of coding new features for their fitness app. The week involved creating Instagram content, cold messaging studios and trainers, and meeting with fitness industry influencers. Key insights include the surprising difficulty of content creation, the effectiveness of direct outreach, and how marketing opens doors that code alone cannot.

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   Article

   Justin Searls·34w

   Tot

   Tot is a minimalist text collection and editing app for Apple devices that syncs across Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch via iCloud. It features a single-window design, Markdown support, customizable smart bullets, automatic backups, and Shortcuts integration. The app offers both free and premium features with a focus on simplicity and cross-device accessibility.

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   Article

   Apple Developer·33w

   Upcoming Currency Change in Bulgaria

   Bulgaria will adopt the euro as its official currency on January 1, 2026, replacing the Bulgarian lev. This change affects App Store pricing, payments, and reporting for developers with apps sold in Bulgaria. App pricing will be automatically converted using the statutory rate of 1.95583 BGN = 1 EUR, subscription billing will continue uninterrupted, and developers must display both currencies during the transition period until August 2026. Financial reports will split between BG and EU categories based on transaction dates.

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   Article

   Hacker News·35w

   iPhone dumbphone

   A developer shares how they used Apple Configurator to transform their iPhone into a restricted device, eliminating access to distracting apps and websites while keeping essential utilities. The setup reduced daily screen time from 4 hours to 2 hours by creating real friction for changes and completely disabling the App Store. The guide includes step-by-step instructions for factory resetting the phone, setting up Apple Configurator profiles, and configuring content filters and app restrictions.

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