About

Hi, my name is Martin. I'm an app developer in the UK.

As I see it, the mobile app sector is characterised by a lot of unregulated and unethical business models and practices. App stores are full of apps designed to hijack our attention, bombard us with ads, part us with our cash for valueless digital products, and infringe upon our privacy.

Social media, mobile games, dating apps, entertainment platforms, sometimes even productivity tools and educational apps. Many companies operate and design their apps to exploit rather than help their users.

They game our attention, and leverage subtle emotional cues and heuristics to make us feel bad or inadequate.Features are designed to spike cortisol and dopamine levels. Some employ psychological tricks used by the gambling industry. Even in products aimed at children. The aim: extract value (money or data) from you.

I don’t believe in extracting value. I believe apps and other digital products must provide value. My approach is to create simple, clean apps according to a few basic guidelines. The five harmonies.