July Update - Beta Lessons, App Store Queue Hurdles, and Tidal Draft

July has been a whirlwind of a month for Code and Sea. Almost my entire focus over the last four weeks has been centered around preparing for, launching, and iterating with our very first wave of beta testers for Transcendence.

It certainly started on shaky ground. Our initial TestFlight build sat in Apple's review queue for 8 long days. While Apple's official documentation quotes 24 hours, the review backlog was real. The silver lining? It was approved on the very first attempt without a single rejection!

Once the build landed in testers' hands, the real magic happened. I've had incredible, in-depth conversations with highly engaged practitioners. Thanks to their direct feedback, I’ve shipped several follow-up beta builds addressing bugs, refining UI friction, and tweaking session workflows.

Here is where I stand as we enter August:

#Transcendence: Launch Countdown & iPad Tease

• 25th August Launch: I am officially on track for our App Store launch on 25th August 2026. I am currently spending my days preparing App Store graphics, screenshots, and metadata assets.
• iPad Optimised Version: Behind the scenes, I’ve also started working on an iPad-optimised version of Transcendence! I’m not 100% sure if it will be ready in time for the 25th August launch, but seeing a clean, minimalist meditation timer on a larger display feels fantastic.
• Build-in-Public Learnings: I’ve spent a lot of time on Reddit and Product Hunt discussing the solo founder journey with other builders. Exchanging raw insights on post-purchase UX, review queues, and marketing has been invaluable for shaping Code and Sea's future.

#Introducing My Next Product: Tidal Draft

In my June update, I teased a new product born out of my frustration with subscription software utility tools. Today, I am excited to share the details.

Tidal Draft is a workflow tool designed for indie developers, designers, and creators. It combines a Chrome Extension and a Figma Plugin that allows you to capture any live webpage and instantly import it into Figma as a fully editable, vector-based design.

In line with my core product philosophy:

• No Subscriptions: Tidal Draft is strictly pay-as-you-go. You purchase credits as you need them, with zero monthly rental fatigue.
• Free Tier: All new users will get a generous allocation of free credits to get started
• Timeline: The landing page goes live in August (where you can request private beta invites). Private beta testing will run throughout August/Spetember, aiming for a full launch in late September 2026.

Thank you to every beta tester and reader following along!