My brother and I spent quite a few hours working on making the iOS port functional. Of course, and I've admitted this on this very blog, some mistakes were simply due to my lack of experience. But that is precisely why his expertise makes such a big difference.
The truth is, I believe a simplified app to interact with Hive, to make friends, to be social, is exactly what we need. And I know I am not the only one who thinks this way. If we have to teach everyone how an engine works before they can drive the car, then we really need to improve our product.
Not to put words in my brother's mouth, but I think the reason he has changed his mind on this whole Hive thing is because of this approach I decided to take. And although I am not going to say he is “all in,” he is basically in.
At any rate, I have the iOS app running on my iPhone XR at the moment. If you saw me making some snaps with my @menoshops account this morning or even yesterday night, that was all done with the little app. Some minor visual adjustments were needed so it would look just right in iOS, but I am feeling pretty confident it is good enough for people to test drive.
Now, given the complexity of iOS and how they handle beta testing, there is just no way I can compile a package and provide it for people to download. There is a protocol we have to follow, and thus if you are interested in participating – which I encourage you to be – the next step is to reach out to me on Discord.
You will need to download an app called TestFlight on your iPhone. This will allow you to be a beta tester, and not only for HiveSnaps, of course, but for anyone who is launching apps on the App Store platform and asking for feedback.
TestFlight
TestFlight is an online service for over-the-air installation and testing of mobile applications, currently owned by Apple Inc. and only offered to developers within the iOS Developer Program. Developers sign up with the service to distribute applications to internal or external beta testers, who can subsequently send feedback about the application to developers. The TestFlight SDK additionally allows developers to receive remote logs, crash reports, and tester feedback.
The good news
Apple has a neat way to track versions and report crashes when using TestFlight. So, if you decide to participate, make sure to submit reports inside the app as well. It is very intuitive and will require no guidance, I think.
Also, as you can guess, this makes it very safe for anyone to try. Apple is a stickler for security (as they should be), so installing unsafe applications is pretty much impossible.
The bad news
I realize some Hiveans love their anonymity, and I totally respect that. But in order for you to participate in TestFlight for HiveSnaps in beta mode under iOS, I need an email.
What am I going to do with your email? Sell it to the government, of course. But on a serious note, all we are going to do is authorize your Apple account to download HiveSnaps. That is all. If that is a deal breaker, I totally get it, but there is nothing I can do there.
Before somebody brings it up – yes, jailbreaking is a thing, but it is not something I am going to recommend. So there is that.
Find me on Discord
As you might know, I am in a few servers. These days I am not too active, since working on these apps, onboarding, and training has really taken up my time. But you can always send me a DM.
It goes without saying, but I will say it anyways. The moment one puts these sorts of links out there, bots and scammers join. Do not share keys with anyone. There is no tech support there, except for me and my brother (who will join during the course of the day).
I am sure with time we will have at least a mod or two, but keep this in mind. Also, do not share private information in general channels.
TLDR
- HiveSnaps Beta is ready for iOS
- Join Discord to request access
- Be safe
Afterword
I am going to include my brother in this post since I am making him work. It only feels right, right?
Much love to all,
MenO