Daring Fireball John Gruber Podcasts

On the podcast we talk with Jason about some of Strava’s big growth wins, the importance of feature education, and whether or not all product teams should actually be growth teams. Top Takeaways 👥 User-focused engineers make great growth engineers — a cross-functional approach is the key to growth. 🦅 Collaboration amongst a small team can benefit t…

Jason Kottke returns to the show to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Kottke.org. Sponsored by: Trade Coffee: Get a free bag of fresh coffee with any Trade subscription. Memberful: Monetize your passion with membership. Start your free trial today. Kolide: The cross-platform endpoint security solution for teams that value privacy and transparency. …

On the podcast I talk with Ryan about the TikTokification of video ads, how partnerships help increase the value of premium subscription tiers, and why you should be thinking about retention, not just downloads, when working with influencers. Top Takeaways 🗣️ User acquisition can be more challenging for apps with niche audiences, which is why you s…

Marco Arment returns to the show to discuss some genuinely startling revelations regarding iPhone and Apple ID security; the new HomePod 2; and our favorite electric vehicle maker. Also: coffee. Sponsored by: Trade Coffee: Get a free bag of fresh coffee with any Trade subscription. Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off you…

On the podcast I talk with Sylvain about the top subscription app insights you should be thinking about, how important cohorting is when looking at growth metrics, and why good advice can turn bad if you apply it at the wrong stage. Top Takeaways 💎 In an early stage, engagement is more important than growth 💎 When looking at retention for your subs…

On the podcast we talk with Lexi about data.ai’s State of Mobile report, the countries subscription apps should focus on for growth, and why things still look bright for apps despite a decline in overall spend. Top Takeaways 🕹️ Mobile app spend is down, but that may not be a bad thing 🤳 Non-gaming apps see additional growth with resilient spend ✍️ …

Special guest Dan Moren joins the show to talk about the new M2 MacBook Pros and Mac Minis, the state of Mac gaming, and the triumphant return of the full-sized HomePod. Sponsored by: Kolide: The cross-platform endpoint security solution for teams that value privacy and transparency. Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off y…

On the podcast we talk with Brennan about the challenge of building and growing kids apps in 2022, how to make effective decisions with minimal data, and why AppsFlyer had to build Sago Mini a custom SDK. Top Takeaways 🧒 Building and growing kids apps is hard 🤔 Making effective decisions with minimal data is a challenge 💕 Find the right partner to …

Craig Hockenberry returns to the show to talk about the demise of third-party Twitter clients, the overall Twitter shitshow, touchscreens on the Mac, and the perils of autocorrect when you have a clever username. Sponsored by: Nebula: Videos. Podcasts. Classes. Creator-built and creator-owned. Trade Coffee: Incredible coffee delivered fresh from th…

On the podcast we talk about RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps report, all the nuance that didn’t make it into the report, and why your app landing in the bottom quartile of some metrics might not be as bad as it seems. Top Takeaways 🤔 Understand your own business model and unique leverage 📈 Consider the stage of your app when looking at benc…

On the podcast we talk with Osman about Duolingo’s culture of experimentation, data and testing as a moat, and why passive aggressive push notifications actually work in the right context. Top Takeaways 🧪 Leverage a culture of experimentation to create a top user experience 📊 Data and testing are Duolingo’s best moat 👍 Passive-aggressive push notif…

Glenn Fleishman returns to the show to talk about reported setbacks in Apple's silicon division, the LastPass vault leak and password management, and the frontiers of social networking. Also, the joys of modern air travel during the holidays. Sponsored by: Linode: Instantly deploy and manage an SSD server in the Linode Cloud. New accounts get a $10…

Rene Ritchie returns to the show to talk about recent news (Twitter, Freeform, iCloud Advanced Data Protection, the EU’s new Digital Markets Act) and Apple’s 2022 year in review. Sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off your first order. Trade Coffee: Incredible coffee delivered fresh from the best roasters in t…

On the podcast we talk with John about the far reaching implications of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, how app developers should be thinking about the opportunities created, and why Apple making so much money from the App Store might be bad for Apple long-term. Top Takeaways ⚖️ The EC’s DMA is set to shake things up in a big way — but ho…

On the podcast I talk with Dan about how to design experiments that answer the right questions, common A/B testing pitfalls to avoid, and how a simple checklist might just save your complex experiment. Top Takeaways 🍞 Conclusions from tests sometimes go stale faster than you realize 👌 Minimizing the cost of running tests will improve decision makin…

Friend of the show John Moltz returns to talk about Elon Musk steering Twitter into a multi-issue spat with Apple, Mastodon, and some streaming TV recommendations. Sponsored by: Sofa: One place to organize your downtime. Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off your first order. Kolide: The cross-platform endpoint security so…

Christina Warren returns to the show to talk about the drama at Disney, tumult at Twitter, and how the hell to score Taylor Swift tickets. Sponsored by: Linode: Instantly deploy and manage an SSD server in the Linode Cloud. New accounts get a $100 credit. Memberful: Monetize your passion with membership. Start your free trial today. Hover: Find a d…

On the podcast I talk with Melissa and Félix about why more apps should be more than just apps, the benefits of a hard paywall, and why a lower price might actually make you more money even if the A/B test shows it didn’t. Top Takeaways 📱 More apps should be more than just apps 💳 Hard paywalls can (and do) sometimes pay off 💵 How a price change can…

Special guest: Anil Dash. A little about last week’s U.S. midterm elections, and a lot about what’s going on at Twitter under Elon Musk. Sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off your first order. Trade Coffee: Incredible coffee delivered fresh from the best roasters in the nation. Kolide: The cross-platform endp…

On the podcast we talk with Jaycee about how Blinkist increased trial starts by 23%, how to balance user experience with business objectives, and why telling people how to cancel can actually lead to fewer cancellations. Top Takeaways ⚖️ Balancing ethics and business means making tough decisions, but taking a smart approach lets you master both 🤝 H…

Federico Viticci returns to the show to talk about iPads, Stage Manager, and Apple’s ill-considered foray into expanding ads in the App Store. Sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off your first order. Memberful: Monetize your passion with membership. Start your free trial today. Hover: Find a domain name for yo…

On the podcast we talk with Eric about the largest consumer marketplace that’s ever existed, the growing exit opportunities for Consumer Subscription Software businesses, and why the CSS industry may be relatively recession-proof. Top Takeaways 👀 Simply occupying eyeballs isn’t the game plan anymore 💰The CSS space could be recession-proof 👴 The dat…

Jason Snell returns to the show to talk about the new 10th-gen iPad and M2 iPads Pro. Sponsored by: Linode: Instantly deploy and manage an SSD server in the Linode Cloud. New accounts get $100 credit. Trade Coffee: Incredible coffee delivered fresh from the best roasters in the nation. Indochino: Made for you. Promo code: thetalkshow. Backblaze: Ba…

Merlin Mann returns to the show to talk about AI image generation (along with a few asides). Sponsored by: Alex Weinstein: Handmade music for picture. Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off your first order. Hello Fresh: America’s #1 meal kit. Memberful: Monetize your passion with membership. Start your free trial today. Li…

On the podcast we talk with Andrew about the journey to cash flow positive for Elevate Labs, the importance of creative, and why spending less money can sometimes be the key to figuring out paid user acquisition. Top Takeaways 📈 The journey to cash flow positive is a long one, demanding tough decisions along the way 💵 Spending less money can someti…

Paul Kafasis returns to the show to talk about the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple Watch Ultra, AirPods Pro, and Rogue Amoeba's 20th anniversary. Sponsored by: Linode: Instantly deploy and manage an SSD server in the Linode Cloud. New accounts get a $100 credit. Retool: Build internal tools 10× faster. Indochino: Made for you. Use promo code thetalkshow for $…

On the podcast we talk with Adam about when and why to use an MMP, which subscription events to track in your analytics, and why A/B testing doesn’t always work the way you think it works. Top Takeaways 📏 Understand what your users are doing to help define — and then achieve — your goal 📈 Spreadsheets are a great start, but growing sophistication r…

Nilay Patel returns to the show to talk about Apple’s “Far Out” event, the iPhones 14, and The Verge’s redesign. Sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off your first order. Hullo Pillow: Your favorite pillow, guaranteed. Trade Coffee: Incredible coffee delivered fresh from the best roasters in the nation. Backbla…

On the podcast we talk with Emmanuel about the magic of affiliate marketing, how to best use Stripe payments, and why you should probably build a web app before you build a native one. Top Takeaways ✉️ Don’t skip user registration — and do it early in onboarding 💰 The road to subscription revenue isn’t a straight one 📈 The little things add up over…

Special guest Rosemary Orchard joins the show to talk about her new book, Take Control of Shortcuts, and the state of automation on iOS and MacOS. Sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off your first order. Indochino: Made for you. Promo code: thetalkshow for $50 off any purchase of $399 or more. Kolide: An endpo…

On the podcast I talk with Darrell about going from zero to an 8-figure ARR in just 18 months, building a product improvement loop combining user research and A/B testing, and why expecting failure is one of the keys to success. Top Takeaways 📈 Going from 0 to an 8-figure ARR in 18 months is doable 🙈 Sharing and selling data isn’t necessary to buil…

Daniel Jalkut returns to the show. Topics include a serious discussion about CSAM detection at major cloud storage providers and messaging services. Also, a deep dive regarding the new iOS-UI-style rewrite of System Settings on the still-in-beta MacOS 13 Ventura, and thoughts on SwiftUI in general. Sponsored by: Linode: Instantly deploy and manage …

Very special guest John Moltz returns to the show to talk about Center Stage, Stage Manager, and all the other stages. Sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off your first order. Trade Coffee: Incredible coffee delivered fresh from the best roasters in the nation ShipStation: Shipping software for wherever you se…

On the podcast we talk with Phil about the thesis behind Tinder’s monetization strategy, the importance of product differentiation, and why some companies shouldn’t use subscriptions. Our guest today is Phil Schwarz, Partner at Corazon Capital, a leading Chicago-based venture fund investing in early stage tech companies. Prior to joining Corazon, P…

Special guest Michael Steeber joins the show to discuss his new project, The Apple Store Time Machine — an intricately-detailed explorable walkthrough of four of Apple’s original retail stores. Sponsored by: Retool: Build internal tools 10× faster. Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off your first order. Memberful: Monetize…

On the podcast we talk with Gessica about how to think about brand marketing for apps, finding product/channel/messaging fit, and why you shouldn’t even refer to Bill Gates in an ad campaign. Our guest today is Gessica Bicego, Chief Marketing Officer at Paired, the #1 app for couples. Prior to joining Paired, Gessica spent 6 years leading performan…

Marco Arment returns to the show to talk about the new M2 MacBook Air and stuff. Sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off your first order. Linode: Instantly deploy and manage an SSD server in the Linode Cloud. New accounts get a $100 credit. Trade Coffee: Incredible coffee delivered fresh from the best roasters…

On the podcast we talk with Giancarlo about soft vs. hard paywalls, how to think about product experiments, and why removing friction from onboarding didn’t actually help. Our guest today is Giancarlo Musetti, Growth Product Manager at Ad Hoc Labs. Ad Hoc Labs makes several apps including Firewall and Dialed, but is most well known for Burner, an a…

Rene Ritchie returns to the show for more on Apple’s announcements from WWDC 2022, locking devices out of Face ID and Touch ID, passkeys, and more. Sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off your first order. Memberful: Monetize your passion with membership. Start your free trial today. Kolide: Endpoint security f…

On the podcast we talk with Darrell and Jake about optimizing your app’s paywall, how to increase revenue by giving users a better experience, tips for pricing your app, and how to reduce subscriber churn. We’re with Darrell Stone and Jake Mor in front of a live audience at the App Promotion Summit in New York City. The App Promotion Summit is Amer…

Jason Snell returns to the show to discuss the biggest threads from WWDC 2022 — in particular, Stage Manager and the M2 MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook “Pro”. No sports talk (unless you count soccer). Sponsored by: RevenueCat: In-app subscriptions made easy. Linode: Instantly deploy and manage an SSD server in the Linode Cloud. New accounts get a $…

On the podcast we talk with Mark and Jeff about community led growth, how they improved trial starts by 25%, and why running ads for a blog post might actually perform better than sending people directly to the App Store. Mark is an RRCA Certified Distance Running Coach and created None to Run as a blog and personal outlet to stay in touch with his…

Special guests Craig Federighi and Greg Joswiak join me to discuss the news from WWDC 2022, in front of a live audience at the new Apple Developer Center at Apple Park. Sponsored by: MacStadium: Private Mac clouds built by developers, for developers. Atoms: The ideal everyday shoe. Links: This episode, in video, on YouTube. The WWDC 2022 Keynote. “…

Very special guest: John Moltz. Very special topics: flat Apple Watches, USB-C iPhones, and more. Sponsored by: Alex Weinstein: We’re all storytellers. And as a storyteller, you know that music is one of your essential tools. Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off your first order. Kolide: Endpoint Security for teams that S…

On the podcast I talk with Sean and Ethan about the importance of a north star metric, optimizing for speed to value, and why product/market fit needs to be dialed in over time. Sean has worked on growth at some of the fastest growing companies in the world, like Dropbox, Lookout, and Eventbrite. He not only coined the term “growth hacking”, but li…

Special guest Tripp Mickle joins the show to talk about his new book, After Steve, reporting on the last decade at Apple. Sponsored by: Linode: Instantly deploy and manage an SSD server in the Linode Cloud. New accounts get a $100 credit. Memberful: Monetize your passion with membership. Start your free trial today. Kolide: Endpoint Security for te…

On the podcast we talk with Mike about building a principled, mission driven app, keeping product development focused on the right customers, and how ClassDojo scaled to tens of millions of downloads without a marketing budget. Our guest today is Mike Overell, Revenue Lead at ClassDojo. Having founded his own company as well as working at McKinsey …

Zach Gage joins the show to talk about game design and creativity, including his new game Knotwords. Transcript. Sponsors Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off your first order. Memberful: Monetize your passion with membership. Start your free trial today. Kolide: Endpoint Security for teams that Slack. Try Kolide for free…

Michael Simmons returns to the show to talk about the Studio Display’s camera (and this week’s beta firmware update to tweak its quality), how things have gone two years into Flexibits’ move to subscription pricing for Fantastical and Cardhop, and Panic’s now-shipping Playdate. Sponsored by: Linode: Instantly deploy and manage an SSD server in the …

On the podcast we talk with Cliff about the benefits of building for a niche, the one ad that changed things for Speechify, and why Cliff is now hiring comedians. Our guest today is Cliff Weitzman, the founder and CEO of Speechify. As someone with dyslexia, Cliff built Speechify to help himself learn by having text read aloud. Cliff went on to blit…