NOTE: this page contains flashing images.
2025-10-13
Back in 2014, I started building iOS apps. For my first project I wanted to create something simple, a project that could be done in one day, but also one that would be practical and perhaps even flashy.
The first version of "Simple Morse Tool" couldn't have been simpler. The idea was to draw a blank, black screen and change it to a white screen when the user touches it. Thus the device would be turned into a very basic Morse Code transmitter. Very easy to code, surprisingly practical if you like playing with Morse Code - and flashy for sure.
Simple Morse Tool, version 1, released in 2014
Creating this gave me an opportunity to get familiar with the App Store release workflow, and later I released more apps. However, Simple Morse Tool was left behind and I didn't add any new features. I also didn't expect anyone to pay for it. The users enjoyed this minimal free tool and the app generated a steady number of downloads.
Fast forward to 2025, and the app no longer works on the latest iOS version. Earlier this year I received a notification that the app will be removed from the App Store unless it receives an update. One more day of coding later, Simple Morse Tool is back.
Simple Morse Tool v1.2 is also free, minimal, and surprisingly practical. It now has more space for the Morse Code reference at the bottom, it supports dark mode, and has a new cool feature: it highlights the most recently entered letter on the Morse Code reference.
Simple Morse Tool, version 1.2, released in 2025
Is eleven years the longest anyone has taken to update an iOS app? It's definitely a personal record. I enjoyed it a lot; perhaps I'll improve it as I continue maintaining my existing projects. And I hope that after reading this article someone else also gets the idea to update their old unmaintained project.
