The iOS Weekly Brief – Issue #29
Exploring Apple’s new AI tools, Swift Concurrency pitfalls, accessible UIs and how AI is reshaping daily coding
🆕 What’s New
This week’s Hello Developer brings several useful updates for iOS and macOS engineers. Apple has released new videos on the Foundation Models framework, demonstrating how to build on-device AI features such as text generation, streaming responses, and tool calling. Another highlight is Memory Integrity Enforcement, a new layer of memory safety that runs always on without hurting performance.
The AI Application Spending Report: Where Startup Dollars Really Go
The AI Application Spending Report shows how startups are shifting their budgets toward tools that accelerate software creation. Platforms like Replit, Cursor, and Lovable lead the rise of “vibe coding,” making it easier to build complete apps and agents with minimal effort.
Personally, I use about 5 AI tools in my daily workflow, and nearly 90% of my code now starts with a prompt - a clear sign of how fast AI is transforming modern development.
📚 Must Read
The 5 biggest mistakes iOS Developers make with async/await
Antoine van der Lee shares the five most common async/await mistakes that lead to sluggish UIs, long migrations, and even App Store rejections.
Even with Swift 6.2’s strict concurrency, it’s easy to get things wrong, and Antoine’s practical approach helps developers avoid those hidden traps before they ship.
Building AI features using Foundation Models. Streaming.
This article dives into streaming with Apple’s Foundation Models, a new API that lets apps display partial AI-generated results in real time instead of waiting for a full response. Using streamResponse, developers can progressively show model output (like titles, body text, or tips) as it’s generated, improving interactivity and responsiveness.
Learnable, Memorable, Accessible
Jordan Morgan explores the rise of custom controls in iOS apps and how SwiftUI makes them easier to build, but also easier to get wrong. He suggests a simple framework before shipping any custom UI: it should be learnable, memorable, and accessible.
The key insight is how easily SwiftUI’s .accessibilityRepresentation lets you inherit Apple’s built-in accessibility for custom components. A great reminder that creativity in UI is welcome, as long as users instantly understand and can actually use it.
🛠️ Toolbox
Stitch is an AI-powered tool for generating mobile and web interfaces, with exports to Figma or ready-to-use frontend code powered by Google DeepMind models.
I used Stitch to design my app VocaTalk and then generated SwiftUI code using my own design system. The only drawback - designs lean a bit Android-like, but with a proper design system, they adapt nicely to your app’s style.
Meanwhile, ChatGPT has introduced its first Figma integration. It’s early, but now you can turn ChatGPT brainstorms into FigJam diagrams and flowcharts, a clear step toward full design generation inside professional tools.
🍬 One More Thing…
A balanced take on macOS 26 Tahoe, the author calls it a 6/10 mix of good ideas and awkward design. Spotlight actions look handy, and the new “Apps” launcher feels more useful than Launchpad ever was. The design, though, divides opinion with its Liquid Glass transparency and uneven icon perspective. Personally, I’d rate it higher. I like that macOS is becoming visually closer to iOS, bringing a sense of consistency across Apple’s platforms.
🗳️ Weekly Poll
📊 Last Week’s Poll Results
Are you already using AI-powered features in your app?
Top Answer: Yes, as an additional feature
🗓 Upcoming Conferences
October
12–16 — New York App Week (New York 🇺🇸)
7-30 — Meet with Apple (Global 🌎)
24 — DevFest.cz (Prague 🇨🇿)
30–31 — Pragma Conference (Bologna 🇮🇹)
November
December
13–15 — Mobile Developers Week Abu Dhabi 2025 (Abu Dhabi 🇦🇪)
January
21–23 — iOS Conf SG (Singapore 🇸🇬)
February
10–12 — Arctic Conference (Oulu 🇫🇮)
March
April
12–14 — Try! Swift Tokyo 2026 (Tokyo 🇯🇵)
12–14 — Deep Dish Swift (Chicago 🇺🇸)
👋 That’s it for this week
If you enjoyed this issue of The iOS Weekly Brief, consider forwarding it to a colleague!
Until next Friday — keep shipping 🍏