Beyond the Screen: Flexibits on Building the “Best Version” of Fantastical for Apple Vision Pro
For over a decade, Flexibits has consistently delivered award-winning productivity tools for Apple platforms. thier flagship calendar app, Fantastical, boasts a loyal following across iPad, iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch. Now, with the launch of the Apple Vision Pro, Flexibits isn’t just adapting – they’re innovating. CEO and lead product designer Michael Simmons confidently states the Vision Pro app is “the best version we’ve ever made.” Here’s a deep dive into their journey, lessons learned, and advice for fellow developers venturing into spatial computing.
From iPad to Infinite Canvas: A Strategic Approach
The initial question wasn’t could Fantastical be ported to visionOS, but should it? Simmons and his team rigorously evaluated the platform, seeking a genuine enhancement over existing experiences. The answer, driven by visionOS’s unique spatial capabilities, was a resounding yes.
“You’re not confined to borders; you have the full canvas of the world to create on,” explains Simmons. This infinite canvas presented both possibility and responsibility. Flexibits prioritized maintaining the familiar Fantastical feel - a crucial consideration given their long-standing customer base and the legacy of over thirteen years of advancement.The goal: seamless integration, not radical reinvention. This approach proved so successful, it immediatly spurred the development of a Vision Pro version of their contacts app, Cardhop.
The “Click” Moment: Intuition in Spatial Design
The transition to visionOS wasn’t a linear process. Simmons describes the learning curve as akin to mastering a musical instrument. “I play guitar, so to me it felt like learning an instrument. One day it just clicks – the songs, the notes, the patterns – and feels like second nature.”
This “click” represented a essential understanding of spatial UI design, a moment where the possibilities felt intuitive and the flow of creation became effortless.It’s a testament to the power of immersive development and the potential for truly groundbreaking user experiences.
Design Considerations: Legibility, Consistency, and Leveraging Existing Code
Building for visionOS demanded a focused approach to core design principles. Legibility was paramount. The team meticulously adjusted fonts, buttons, and other UI elements, recognizing that elements designed for flat screens didn’t translate directly to a spatial habitat. Specifically, opaque backgrounds common in other operating systems proved problematic.
Flexibits maintained consistency with their established design language,utilizing system-provided colors whenever possible. Importantly, they leveraged their existing codebase, building primarily with UIKit and incorporating SwiftUI for the unique “ornaments” and spatial elements Vision Pro enables. This strategic decision minimized rewrite efforts and accelerated development.
Rapid development: From First Experience to App Store Submission
The speed of development was remarkable.Flexibits went from initial device experience to a polished app submission in just five months. This timeline broke down into three months of exploration and learning, followed by two months of refinement and testing.
The efficiency was further amplified with Cardhop, completed in just two months, demonstrating the power of transferring domain knowledge gained from the Fantastical project.”If you have an iPad app and that knowledge, it takes just months to create a Apple Vision Pro version of your app,” Simmons emphasizes.
Advice for Developers: Embrace the spatial Opportunity
What guidance does Simmons offer to developers considering the leap to visionOS? His advice is direct and encouraging:
First, critically assess your app’s suitability for the platform.Consider how your request could benefit from the expanded spatial capabilities. Then, if it makes sense – and Simmons believes most apps do – leverage your existing iPad, iPhone, or mac development expertise.
“Make sure your app is appropriate for the platform… think about how your app woudl feel with unlimited real estate,” he advises. For developers already invested in the Apple ecosystem,bringing their apps to Apple Vision Pro is,in his view,a ”no-brainer.”
Download Fantastical from the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fantastical-calendar/id718043190
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