Innovation: How We Take the Work out of Play
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With the release of the new Apple silicon Macs, early adopters will see something new on the Mac App Store: the TeamSnap iOS app. Thanks to the hard work of engineers who took on this passion project, customers will have the full mobile app experience right on their desktop.
While that’s exciting in its own right, it’s really one point—and one update—in a larger mission: delivering the best possible experience for our customers.
Throughout the summer and into the fall, our software engineers have been hard at work bringing new features and experiences to our iOS and Android apps. Whether that’s adding Dark Mode on iOS (some people have very strong feelings about this. You know who you are) or introducing Health Check which is reaching 7 million submissions—we at TeamSnap strive to use the latest innovations to deliver the best experiences to our customers.
I recently talked with Skyler Seamens, a senior engineer and tech leader on our iOS team, to hear more about the work that he and the team have been doing.
How did TeamSnap get involved in the Mac App Store project in the first place?
It turns out that there are many TeamSnap customers and fans working at Apple. That and the fact we consistently rank at the top of our category in the App Store led to us taking part in other product launches, like Siri Shortcuts. And over the summer, Apple invited us to join the Quick Start program to ensure that our iOS app worked great on their new Apple silicon Macs.
Why was this important for you to be a part of it, and what was the experience like?
Every software engineer I know loves being on the leading edge of technology. It’s exciting, it’s difficult, and it’s always rewarding. At the end of the day, we want to create experiences that make customers say, “Wow!”
Our experience bringing TeamSnap to the Mac was excellent. We’ve continually invested in our iOS app over the years, which meant that we were already using the latest frameworks and following Apple’s best practices for Universal apps. It gave us a solid foundation.
If I am a customer using the new Mac, what should I expect from my TeamSnap app?
You should expect the lightning-fast experience that comes with our mobile app on your Mac! With more screen real estate and a keyboard, it will be even easier to chat, schedule events, mark your availability and complete your Health Check.
And if I’m not in the market for a new Mac, what should I be thinking about this news? Why does it matter to me?
This is just one example of how we’re a forward-thinking company that’s pushing the sports industry ahead. Customers and their experience are at the heart of everything we do. For us, innovation is central to taking the work out of play.
Skyler Seamans is a software developer and digital nomad traveling the globe in a vintage Airstream.
Zach Wills is a product marketer, landscape photographer, and hiker who’s dreaming of the days when his kids can carry the heavy stuff.