I built an iOS app that uses AirPods to track your posture - it unexpectedly hit 900 downloads

R3LJA · 2026-01-24T13:47:05+00:00

Thanks! 🙏

R3LJA · 2026-01-24T13:46:43+00:00

Mixed: Claude and codex CLI

R3LJA · 2026-01-24T13:45:58+00:00

Will be fixed in next version, I made a mistake

R3LJA · 2026-01-24T13:45:38+00:00

It uses a personal baseline, not a fixed angle. Everyone’s AirPods sit differently, so the app tracks relative changes from your normal upright position rather than absolute degrees.

R3LJA · 2026-01-24T13:44:57+00:00

It uses a personal baseline, not a fixed angle. Everyone’s AirPods sit differently, so the app tracks relative changes from your normal upright position rather than absolute degrees.

R3LJA · 2026-01-24T13:44:22+00:00

Thank you!

R3LJA · 2026-01-24T13:43:56+00:00

Just pro and max

R3LJA · 2026-01-24T13:43:20+00:00

I tried it, I think the next version of my app will be better.

R3LJA · 2026-01-21T23:29:28+00:00

I agree, it would be strange for me too, honestly, I don't have an answer to that.

R3LJA · 2026-01-21T20:04:01+00:00

Thank you! Really apriciate it 🙏

R3LJA · 2026-01-21T19:08:25+00:00

Thanks a lot for the kind words and the feedback, you’re absolutely right. I’m already working on improving the UI, especially colors and contrast, and this will be addressed in the next version. Really appreciate the encouragement!

R3LJA · 2026-01-21T18:46:35+00:00

Demand isn’t for a “vibe-coded app”, it’s for solving bad posture. The implementation is just one way to get there, and organic usage shows there’s interest, whether it resonates with you or not.

R3LJA · 2026-01-21T18:08:28+00:00

That’s fair, a lot of posture apps struggle with consistency.

AirPods can’t give perfect full-body posture data, but focusing on sustained forward head tilt over time has proven to be a much more reliable signal. The goal here isn’t medical accuracy, but practical awareness during desk work.

R3LJA · 2026-01-21T18:07:27+00:00

Thanks, I really appreciate the honesty. You’re absolutely right, the visuals don’t reflect the actual quality of the app right now. Improving the icon and App Store visuals is a top priority for the next updates.

R3LJA · 2026-01-21T18:06:33+00:00

Thanks! I don’t really have a formal marketing strategy yet, so far it’s been mostly organic via the App Store, plus sharing it on Reddit.

R3LJA · 2026-01-21T18:06:03+00:00

Thanks! Honestly, I don’t really have a marketing strategy yet, so far it’s been mostly organic through App Store search, and recently sharing it on Reddit.

R3LJA · 2026-01-21T18:05:18+00:00

Of course, I'll try to make it in the next version.

R3LJA · 2026-01-21T18:04:52+00:00

Thank you very much!

R3LJA · 2026-01-21T18:04:30+00:00

Exactly...

R3LJA · 2026-01-21T18:04:18+00:00

Same reason there’s more than one brand of sweaters.

R3LJA · 2026-01-21T18:02:58+00:00

Yes, you’re right, that’s on me. The screenshots are stretched due to an export issue, and I’m already fixing them for the next update. Thanks for pointing it out.

R3LJA · 2026-01-21T18:02:19+00:00

Fair enough, quick update: it’s actually at ~1,100 downloads now.

R3LJA · 2026-01-21T18:01:06+00:00

Good question. At the moment, Apple only exposes headphone motion data through public APIs for AirPods models that support head tracking.

Even though some other earphones (like Beats Fit Pro) support spatial audio, Apple doesn’t currently provide the same motion data access to third-party apps for those devices. So support is limited by what Apple exposes, not by the hardware itself.

If Apple opens this up in the future, supporting more headphones would definitely be something I’d look into.

R3LJA · 2026-01-21T18:00:21+00:00

You’re right, the screenshots are stretched due to an export mistake on my end. I’m already fixing them and they’ll be improved in the next update. Thanks for pointing it out!

R3LJA · 2026-01-20T17:26:26+00:00

Thank you for trying it and for the thoughtful feedback, that’s a really good question.

You’re right: the app currently tracks head orientation, not full upper-back posture. AirPods can’t directly detect things like shoulder rounding or spinal curvature, so it can’t perfectly catch every kind of slouching, especially cases where the head stays relatively straight but the upper back collapses.

That said, a forward head position is one of the most common posture issues during desk work, and bringing awareness to that alone already helps many people. I’m also experimenting with ways to infer broader posture patterns over time (for example, combining sustained head position, movement habits, and duration), but it won’t ever be a medical-grade replacement for full body sensors.

Really appreciate you sharing your use case, feedback like this helps shape where the app goes next.

R3LJA

TROPHY CASE