Blog

Field notes from building VSkip.

An indie iOS app that turns voice messages into text summaries. These are the pieces I wish I'd read before I started.

Family · Listening · New

Dad sent a five-minute voicemail. Here's how to actually listen.

Voice notes from a parent are not the same as voice notes from peers — they run long, contain at least one thing that matters, and pile up because of guilt rather than indifference. A small system for taking in what was said.

Family · Distance

The voice-message problem in family group chats — and how to keep up

Why family WhatsApp groups are voice-heavy by design (one-to-many speakers, generational comfort, diaspora distance) and a usable framework for the millennial/Gen-X recipient who's accumulating relational guilt.

Доступность · Наука · Русский

Почему голосовые истощают мозг при СДВГ — наука за тревогой

Рабочая память, отсутствие skim affordance, time-blindness — три рецензированных рассогласования между голосовыми и СДВГ-вниманием. С цитатами и фреймворком, что делать.

Accessibility · Science · New

Why voice messages drain ADHD brains — the science of the dread you feel

Working memory, the missing skim affordance, time-blindness — three peer-reviewed mismatches between voice notes and the ADHD attention system. With citations and what to do about it without quitting voice notes entirely.

Produkt · VSkip 1.1.3+ · Deutsch

Das iPhone-Widget für Sprachnachrichten, das wir früher hätten bauen sollen

Wie ein Home-Screen-Widget die "Entsperren, Messenger öffnen, Sprachnachricht finden, an VSkip teilen, lesen" Schleife durch einen Blick ersetzt.

Tool · Free · New

The free Telegram bot that turns voice messages into text

@vskipbot turns any forwarded Telegram voice into a 3-line summary in 3 seconds. No signup, /digest command replays the day. When to use the bot vs the iOS app.

How-to · iOS 17+ · New

Set up Back Tap for voice messages on iPhone — a 30-second guide

Two taps on the back of your iPhone → today's voice message digest. The exact Shortcut + Back Tap recipe, plus Action Button setup for iPhone 15/16 Pro.

Product · VSkip 1.1.3+ · New

The iPhone widget for voice messages I wish we'd built sooner

How a Home Screen widget replaces the "unlock, open messenger, find the voice, share to VSkip, read" loop with a glance. Three sizes, sentiment colors, the midnight reset we're quietly proud of.

Продукт · VSkip 1.1.3+ · Русский

Виджет iPhone для голосовых сообщений, который стоило сделать раньше

Как виджет на главном экране заменяет цикл «разблокировать → мессенджер → найти войс → поделиться → прочитать» одним взглядом.

Launch · VSkip 1.1 · New

Introducing Voice Digest — one evening push for every voice note you got today

Why we built the Daily Voice Digest: voice messages are an interruption tax, and a batch beats a stream. Here's how it changes the relationship between you and voice notes.

Релиз · VSkip 1.1 · Русский

Представляем Дайджест войсов — один push вечером за все голосовые дня

Зачем мы сделали Ежедневный дайджест и как он меняет отношения между тобой и голосовыми.

iOS · App Review

10 builds, 6 App Review rejections: what Apple actually wants in 2026

Every rejection reason, what triggered it, and the exact code change that fixed it. A checklist to save you from my mistakes.

iPhone · Apps

Best voice-to-text apps for iPhone in 2026

The short list with honest trade-offs: native iOS, Otter, Rev, on-device Whisper, and messenger-specific tools.

How-to · iPhone

How to turn WhatsApp voice messages into text on iPhone (2026)

Three approaches — iOS 26 built-in, third-party apps, and the Share-sheet route — with honest trade-offs for each.

Anleitung · iPhone · 🇩🇪 Deutsch

WhatsApp-Sprachnachricht in Text umwandeln auf dem iPhone (2026)

Drei Wege, die 2026 funktionieren — iOS 26, Teilen-Button-Workflow und Tastatur-Diktat. Ehrliche Vor- und Nachteile.

Guía · iPhone · 🇪🇸 Español

Cómo transcribir notas de voz de WhatsApp en iPhone (2026)

Tres métodos que funcionan en 2026 — iOS 26, botón Compartir y dictado al teclado. Ventajas y desventajas reales.

Guide · iPhone · 🇫🇷 Français

Transcrire un message vocal WhatsApp sur iPhone (2026)

Trois méthodes qui fonctionnent en 2026 — iOS 26, bouton Partager et dictée clavier. Avantages et inconvénients honnêtes.

Инструкция · iPhone · 🇷🇺 Русский

Как расшифровать голосовое в WhatsApp на iPhone (2026)

Три способа, которые работают в 2026-м — iOS 26, кнопка Поделиться и диктовка. Честные плюсы и минусы.

How-to · Telegram

How to transcribe Telegram voice messages on iPhone

Telegram's .ogg/.opus format doesn't transcribe natively on iOS. Three practical ways to turn it into text.

Anleitung · Telegram · 🇩🇪 Deutsch

Telegram-Sprachnachricht transkribieren auf iPhone (2026)

Telegrams .ogg/.opus-Format wird von iOS 26 nicht nativ transkribiert. Drei praktische Wege, es in Text umzuwandeln.

Guía · Telegram · 🇪🇸 Español

Transcribir mensaje de voz de Telegram en iPhone (2026)

El formato .ogg/.opus de Telegram no se transcribe de forma nativa en iOS. Tres métodos prácticos para convertirlo en texto.

Guide · Telegram · 🇫🇷 Français

Transcrire un message vocal Telegram sur iPhone (2026)

Le format .ogg/.opus de Telegram n'est pas transcrit nativement par iOS 26. Trois moyens pratiques de le convertir en texte.

Гайд · Telegram · 🇷🇺 Русский

Как расшифровать голосовое в Telegram на iPhone (2026)

Формат .ogg/.opus из Telegram не расшифровывается на iOS автоматически. Три рабочих способа превратить его в текст.

How-to · iMessage

iMessage voice message transcription on iPhone (2026)

iOS 26 transcribes iMessage voice bubbles natively. What the built-in feature does, what it misses, and when a summarizer adds value.

ADHD · Accessibility

The ADHD survival guide to voice messages

Why voice notes hit ADHD brains harder than text, what the research says, and the workflow that actually works.

Indie dev · AI costs

Groq vs OpenAI Whisper for indie iOS apps: an honest cost breakdown

Real numbers from running a voice-transcription app at scale on a free-tier Fly.io instance.

iOS 26 · Comparison

iOS 26 voice message transcription: built-in vs third-party

What iOS can do natively, where it falls short, and where a dedicated app earns its keep.