THERE are many reasons why people built apps. They could be for profit, recognition, and so on. But for Jessi Febria, it is to help the blind navigate better, especially in public spaces.
She's one of the founders of PetaNetra, an app that acts as a walking assistant for people who are blind or low vision in Indonesia.
App for the blind
While there are other apps for the blind, Jessi's PetaNetra (which translates in "eye map") helps the blind independently navigate public spaces such as MRT stations, and Jakarta's public library.
Jessi and her team have been developing the app for about three years now.
The reason for Jessi creating the PetaNetra app is thatv she really wants to solve a real world problem that can make difference in people's life.
"One of our co-founders' (Graciela Gabrielle Angeline) parents are both blind, and the idea sparks from there. We did a further research on how we can help the people with visual impairment, and that's when we created the app," she said.
"So the PetaNetra app has some kind of meaningful connection to us," she added.
Prior to making the app, Jessi and her team did some researches on the feasibility of the app.
"It turns out that in Indonesia, the public space are still not disability friendly.
"This makes it hard for people with the visual impairment to navigate independently by themselves because the environment is not disability friendly," she explained.
"That's the reason why we develop PetaNetra - to help them navigate independently in the inner public space."
"Besides that, we also found out that among the things the blind want is independence.
"They didn't want others to help them. So with the app, they simply hold their iPhones to sense and follow pre-recorded paths. The innovative technology solution uses AR and image analysis to create paths on the iPad, meaning it can be deployed at scale even without indoor maps or beacons," she said.
In developing an app, having just ideas may not be enough.
Fortunately, there is now an Apple Developer Centre in Singapore, offering developers in the region even greater access to Apple experts and support to learn about the latest Apple technologies and resources to take their apps and games to the next level.
Located in Singapore's one-north district, an innovation hub home to numerous startups and leading technology firms, this new facility joins Developer Center locations in Cupertino, Bengaluru, and Shanghai.
"Having a dedicated space close to home for developers to come together to network and learn from each other is a real asset for developers in the region. It's a great place for the community to call home, and a place where we are able to focus, exchange ideas and make our apps even better," said Jessi.
Increasing gaming experience
Meanwhile, Lykke Studios, a boutique game developer that focuses on creating premium gaming experiences with a team based in Thailand and Cyprus, has developed its latest game called 'stitch", which also has an Apple Vision Pro version of the game.
Stitch is a casual puzzle game available on Apple Arcade, designed to allow players to create beautiful embroidery patterns by solving levels and completing Hoops of various difficulties and sizes. The game features over 200 challenging hoops and is accessible on all Apple Arcade platforms, including Apple Vision Pro.
Lykke Studios is also behind the puzzles 'tint' and 'lumen'.
Its founder, Jakob Lykkegaard, said building an app have its challenges.
For examople, new AR technology like the one in Apple Vision Pro change the way you develop games or applications.
"So for us it's very much switching from, at the moment you watch through a 2D screen from one angle and as the game developer we decide exactly the angle that you're looking at it at," he said.
"But when you're opening up in Vision Pro people can start looking at the side, they will start touching elements around so the interaction is completely different," he added.
"We need to think of it more as a full body experience, it's closer to when we develop for ARKit because augmented reality, the things that we have a game on where a statue will pop out of the ground and you can move around to interact with it," explained Lykkegaard.
"One thing I would say in the ARKit days we try to get people to move around a lot, but with Vision Pro you expect that it would be the same, that moving around a lot is good, but once you start using the device you figure out that our type of games that is more zen, we actually prefer people to be seated," he said.
"These are the things that I think on behavior is hard to figure out, you need to try it and test out and figure out what's the best approach on it," he added.
Affordable apps
Yap Siew Lin made a mid-career switch from being a staff engineer in a semiconductor company to become a solopreneur with an ambition to create a suite of affordable apps that enable self-directed learning and encourage self-discipline amongst kids.
The first app she launched in 2022 is SpellingBuddy, which was inspired by her daughter who was facing learning challenges. This free app helps children revise spelling on their own without waiting for someone to read out the test word for them, ensuring that they can practise their spelling list anytime and for as many rounds as they need without pressure. Yap started learning to code when she was 40 and joined Apple's Entrepreneur Camp in 2022.
"As an app developer, I think the collaboration opportunities the Developer Center offers are amazing. Being here together with fellow developers allows for knowledge exchange which will cultivate deeper collaborations and even the opportunity to learn about other cultures. The support and network of the regional community means so much, especially to developers like myself, who mostly work alone," she said.
Making app development easier
"The opening of Apple's new Developer Center in Singapore feels like bringing a significant part of Cupertino much closer to home. It opens up many more opportunities for developers in the region—opportunities that were previously much harder to access outside of Apple Park," said Lykkegaard.
"Pior to this, if you weren't in the US, you were a little bit, like you're a little bit more included if you're in the US, but now with the developer center here a lot more activities will happen, so it's also a chance for us to connect with other developers," he said.
Meanwhile, for senior product designer at Mindvalley, Oflavia Veranez, the Apple Developer Center in Singapore is a dynamic hub for innovation and collaboration.
"This dedicated space empowers designers and developers like us to engage intimately with the products we're building, offering in-person assistance and abundant resources. It presents opportunities to create cutting-edge solutions and gain access to Apple's latest technologies. I'm confident that this Center will illuminate the remarkable talent and locally developed products, igniting creativity and cultivating growth within our community," she said.
Mindvalley is an app that offers classes and applicable life lessons aimed for personal development. Its programs are designed to unveil the fullest potential of your true self in mind, body, soul and career. Learn, grow and transform in significant areas of life, personal growth and self improvement.
For Screening Eagle Technologies, a company that provides a technology platform for intelligent inspection of the built environment, the Developer Center is a fantastic venue for app develops in the region.
"We're excited for the opening of this new Developer Center as it presents a fantastic opportunity for us to deepen our collaboration with Apple and engage with the community on an even deeper level. We look forward to seeing what the future holds," said its CEO, Craig Rice.