Swift Student Challenge: How do two Germans shine in Apple competition

Anyone who participates in Apple’s programming competition for young developers participating in Swift Student Challenge will quickly learn that talent is important in various subjects: Knowledge and programming language Swift correct use is definitely one thing. A sparkling idea for an app with a utility value and an experience for good user interface design are completely different challenges. And if you end at the end, you are not a duty, but it is invited to present it and your app to the public, so it learns anything about marketing. In short: Multi -talents are required.

This year, among the 350 global winners, there are many students and students from Germany again, including Jan Stinehair from Vurzburg. 50 participants worldwide were also chosen as a prestigious winner, including Carl Safart from Dresseden – they not only get prices in a free developer account not only and for a year, but also invited cupertino to the WWDC developer conference by Apple. In conversation with Heise online, two questions about their apps, their inspiration and how they got in the program.

Entry in programming

It was with John Syinhayer (22) A YouTube video by influential Alexibsiexi about WWDC 2017Who constantly impressed him and brought him to the program. “I was found to be so clear just to see that people like you and me, who do not have a ten -year programming experience, can do such good things,” he remembers. The enthusiasm was so great that at that time the teenager still wrote the first lines of the code with her father’s iPad and Swift Playground app the same night. And when he tried his first small app after just a few hours, he could not stop, he remembers.

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In Carl Safart (22), the entry was more priorgrade: at the age of 14 he wanted to automate Christmas light at home. “It is attractive if you somehow enter a few letters in the computer and finally the computer did what you said,” Safart describes its first point of contact with programming. “These are already important experiences that inspire you to continue.”

Swift: Just more than a programming language

Both developers are excited about Swift, the programming language introduced by Apple in 2014. For Steinhayer, Swift is also “like a younger brother” with which he grew together. “I think Swift is one of the languages ​​where you can start, but can expand too much. For me, Swift is a language in which I can live creatively completely.”

Carl Safart is particularly influenced by versatility: “You can do a lot with Swift. The source code is open and available independently. Swift supports a series of operating systems. It is not just MAC that is supported.” He especially emphasizes that Swift can now be used on microcontrollers as well: “The whole thing is called embedded Swift and therefore, to speak, a few less versions of Swift, but completely adapted to small microcontroller, who do not have more computing capacity and storage.”

Projects: Dyslexia helps in interactive periodic system from dyslexia

John Stinehayer developed “Dialexed” for the participation of his competition, an app that supports people with dyslexia. The app offers various ways to enter the texts- it is through direct input, photo or PDF upload. An algorithm tries to find easy words for input and reduce the set structures. In addition, texts are read by recitation-to-speech and difficult words are visually highlighted.

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On the other hand, Carl Safart developed an interactive duration system for chemistry lessons. His inspiration originated from his own school experiences: “Especially in Physics and Chemistry, I always felt that some things are not really comfortable. And I thought that apps could be the right way to make the whole thing more tangible.” He eventually applied the idea of ​​getting more information about the related element by tapping.

Functions in app design

Both developers emphasize that in addition to technical challenges, the user interface design was a major obstacle. Seafert describes: “Ultimately, no one would like to use apps that you can develop.

Steinhayers, who study human-computer interactions at the University of Vurjberg, bring their knowledge into their apps in this field: “I also tried to bring my knowledge from HCI, ie from human computer interaction, and to give the app a good user interface and a good user experience.”

Future of visionos and spatial computing

The mass stynehair is especially enthusiastic about Apple’s Vision Pro and the possibilities of spatial computing. About his semester abroad at the University of Texas in Austin, he developed the “Viva Monarch” app, which belongs to the migration of Emperor Falters. “It caught me in such a way because I think it is completely different from other VR glasses, as this pass-the-three mechanism is just much better, this immersion,” he encourages the Vision Pro.

Asked about the future of spatial computing, he explains: “As a working student, I also have to do with many others who develop apps, I see that I see two major problems in my opinion: Many people are not yet familiar with VR and do not understand gestures so soon. The second problem is that the Apple Vision Pro is still a little difficult.” With 2 and later generations that become easy and inexpensive, spatial computing will gradually prevail, he predicts.

It is noteworthy that both young developers are already passing their knowledge to others. Mass stinehair Covers Tiktok and YouTube channelsOn which he brings closer visionos: “I just wanted to show: What is possible with Apple Vision Pro? What kind of input options are there?”

Carl SEFERT includes a guardian Educational Project “Youth Hack”: “I think it is not a lack of interest in any way, but just the initial spark that creates interest. And my result is that I attract that youth will have to give a place to develop their interests independently and apply their ideas, especially when it comes to further promotions in computer science courses.”

Tips for future challenge participants

Everyone who wants to participate in the Swift Student Challenge has an important advice to the people Steinhayer: “The first point is: you have to find something that fit you. Finally, the heart will have to burn.” The focus on expansion and finishing touch is also particularly important: “Many have a good idea, but in front of me twice in front of it, where I did not win, there was just a decrease in this fine grinding.”

Wwdc dream

The Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) from Apple is a one -year attraction for both developers. Carl Safart, who was invited to Cupertino as a prestigious winner after two wins this time, is especially ready for individual exchange: “Most I look forward to contacts and those you will meet. Finally it’s a network event. I am very happy about it, but sessions on WWDC are also really interesting.

Jan Stinehair is expected to be one of the prestigious winners next year – he has already participated in a new partnership: “I have never gone to cupertino or California myself.” He will be happy to join other people who think like this. “This is just a big option and chance.”

Future plans: by studying in practice

Both students also have clear views for their professional future. John Steinhayers are already working as a working student in SAP in the field of iOS/Visionos Development and as soon as they have set their development opera account, would like to publish their apps including dialexid and Viva Monarch in the App Store.

Carl Safart, who has completed his graduation in computer science in TU Dresseden, works as a research student on the chair of the network system and deal with the Internet of Things, especially with resource -treatment equipment. “My main motivator is to improve everyone’s life in any way,” he explains his inspiration. “And I would like to work with those who stand for their reason who are committed. And thus my next step is to complete my guru.” He is also planning to bring his periodic system project to the app store.

(MKI)