Fired By Robots

Sean Allen is shutting down his iOS course business because AI wiped out his sales – and I think the boilerplate market I sat on for years is drying up the same way. In episode 20 of Fired by Robots, Aivars and I talk about who still pays for developer courses and templates when an agent can teach you, or build the app from your own projects. I'm now releasing my React Native boilerplate for free.

Also in this episode:

- iPhone Duo pre-orders sold out in minutes, and Apple is reviewing iPhone Duo apps fast – Aivars' quickest took three minutes

- why I'm keeping VidNotes native while still using Expo for some apps, and why Aivars skips cross-platform tools entirely

- Amazon, Delta, Yelp, JPMorgan and Schwab blocking outside AI agents

- why we're not testing every new model ("we are old people, we have to be pragmatic")

- Aivars' simple setup with Codex Dots

- the "SaaS is dead" debate: Aivars thinks both sides are wrong, I think agents from the big companies will replace a lot of software

Sean Allen's courses (closing November 24): https://seanallen.teachable.com/

Michael Tsai on the shutdown: https://mjtsai.com/blog/2026/10/21/ios-dev-course-going-out-of-business/

Sites blocking AI agents: https://officechai.com/ai/amazon-jpmorgan-schwab-and-delta-are-all-blocking-ai-agents-heres-why/

VidNotes: https://vidnotes.app

Chapters:

00:00 Back after a two-week break

01:08 Apple's fast iPhone Duo reviews

02:36 iPhone Duo sold out in minutes

05:08 Building for foldables: my teleprompter app

07:04 Four apps approved, one in 3 minutes

09:00 Moving an app from Swift to React Native

10:44 Rebuilding my idle game with Opus 5.5

11:43 Is React Native dying?

14:41 Expo vs native for my apps

15:37 Second thoughts on the VidNotes rewrite

19:22 Indie devs: start native

20:36 Are we testing the new models?

24:16 "We are old people"

24:43 Grok Bot and my agent systems

26:36 How Aivars uses Codex Dots

29:03 Too much system building

31:03 Websites are blocking AI agents

33:12 Is SaaS dead?

37:30 Are we outsourcing our thinking?

39:50 Why agents will replace SaaS

42:11 Sean Allen shuts down his courses

44:03 AI tutoring and learning apps

48:15 The boilerplate market dried up

50:23 Aivars: you don't need a boilerplate

52:11 How fast our approach changed this year

53:10 Wrap-up

New episode every week – subscribe so you don't miss the next one.

After about three months as "the Codex guy", I went back to Claude this week. I threw everything at Opus 5.5 – demo videos for my mobile app, UI fixes for my teleprompter app, a new version of my beat-making app – and didn't hit the five-hour limit once. Aivars had the same experience after months of rationing Fable, and we talk about why that changes how we work.

Then the part that matters if you build apps: OpenAI's DevDay. Sign in with ChatGPT lets Plus and Pro users spend their plan inside partner tools like Notion, and Dots are always-on agents with their own cloud computer that connect to 4,000+ apps. If agents start choosing tools for people, will they pick your app? We talk about MCP, agent catalogs, and what I'm already seeing with VidNotes.

Also in this episode:

- Aivars had Claude Code cut a moto vlog from 360, DJI and iPhone footage while burning very few tokens

- why AI demo videos are a commodity now

- I turned my SaaS into a skills package that runs inside Claude, Codex and Hermes

- too many token resets and the pressure to burn them

- iPhone Duo support: size classes, iPad layouts, and a teleprompter on the rear camera

- why we stopped chasing every new model

- Aivars is back on Windows after a week on Linux

Claude Opus 5.5: https://www.anthropic.com/claude-opus-5-5

Claude Sonnet 5.5: https://www.anthropic.com/claude-sonnet-5-5

OpenAI DevDay 2026 recap: https://openai.com/index/devday-2026-recap/

VidNotes: https://vidnotes.app

Chapters:

00:00 Bangkok floods

02:51 Why I went back to Claude

06:34 Aivars on Opus 5.5 and the five-hour limits

09:22 Claude Code edits a moto vlog

11:06 Demo videos are a commodity now

14:01 My SaaS became a skills package

17:16 Staying model-agnostic

19:59 Too many token resets

21:43 iPhone Duo support in practice

24:12 A teleprompter for iPhone Duo

27:58 Why we stopped chasing new models

37:13 Back to Windows after a week on Linux

40:54 Codex computer use and dropping a VPS

43:56 DevDay: Sign in with ChatGPT

48:22 Make your app available to AI agents

50:29 VidNotes: MCP, web and credits

54:46 OpenAI Dots: always-on agents

56:41 One chatbot for everything?

58:52 My biggest enemy is focus

1:00:17 Wrap-up

New episode every week – subscribe so you don't miss the next one.

One video edit used about 10% of Aivars's AI plan. With GPT-6 Sol and Claude Opus 5.5 newly released, we ask whether cheaper models will let us do more before we hit usage limits.

We discuss the reported model improvements, our subscription limits, and the video editing work that uses our allowance. Neither of us had fully tested the new models when we recorded this episode, so this is a discussion of the releases and our existing workflows, not a head-to-head test.

We also share how we use AI to monitor flight prices and manage Google Ads. Then we discuss Jev, a model for structured decisions, and why a structured answer can still be wrong. Finally, we cover Expo SDK 58 beta, the VidNotes move to Expo, and Aivars's work to adapt his apps for iPhone Duo.

GPT-6 Sol: https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/models/gpt-6-sol

Claude Opus 5.5: https://www.anthropic.com/claude-opus-5-5

Jev: https://typesafe.ai/blog/introducing-system-one-models-and-jev

Expo SDK 58 beta: https://expo.dev/changelog/sdk-58-beta

iPhone Duo developer resources: https://developer.apple.com/iphone-duo/

What task uses the most of your AI allowance? Tell us in the comments.

Chapters:

00:00 Opening

00:15 GPT-6 Sol and Claude Opus 5.5

02:31 Codex, Xcode, and model access

05:21 Model efficiency and automation costs

10:07 AI video editing and usage costs

13:48 Claude, Codex, and subscription limits

19:12 ChatGPT and Claude interface changes

25:24 Using AI to monitor flight prices

28:59 Launching Google Ads with AI

32:28 Jev and structured AI decisions

43:48 Expo SDK 58 and the VidNotes rewrite

49:07 Adapting apps for iPhone Duo

58:13 Your questions and future episodes

Subscribe to Fired by Robots for more conversations about AI and app development.

Shopify is moving its mobile apps from React Native to Swift and Kotlin after AI changed the cost of native development.

Does that mean indie app developers should follow?

Aivars thinks beginners should start with native development. I still think React Native and Expo suit many cross-platform products.

We compare native development, React Native, Flutter, and Dart Native. We also discuss performance, complexity, over-the-air updates, and iPhone Duo support.

Shopify’s native development announcement:

https://shopify.engineering/back-to-native

Shopify’s Shop app migration:

https://shopify.engineering/shop-app-migration

Apple’s iPhone Duo developer resources:

https://developer.apple.com/iphone-duo/

Chapters:

00:00 Paweł’s new development contract

02:11 Apple announces iPhone Duo

08:09 Preparing VidNotes for iPhone Duo

19:32 Android foldables versus iPhone Duo

23:08 Apple’s new Siri and AI

29:02 Apple’s localization problem

33:24 Does Apple still innovate?

39:13 macOS 27 Golden Gate

43:02 Shopify drops React Native

50:17 Native versus cross-platform for beginners

01:06:10 Flutter, Dart Native, and HabitKit

01:19:04 Listener feedback and final thoughts

Subscribe for weekly discussions about building, shipping, and growing mobile applications.

Is GPT-6 Astra truly the best AI model for indie app builders? We do not agree.

Paweł sees a major improvement in reasoning, automation, coding, and subscription value.

Aivars sees a better model, but not a revolution. Claude still produced better iOS designs during his direct comparison.

We discuss real work from the past week:

• Astra fixed an iOS keyboard bug that other models could not solve.

• Astra created an interactive 3D avatar using Blender.

• Claude defeated Astra during an app design comparison.

• Our apps reached approximately $4,600 and $2,600 in MRR.

• Paweł spent about $200 sending more than 40 Upwork proposals.

• One unexpected Upwork message produced a $500 weekend project.

• Hermes agents could become a reusable team of digital workers.

Fired by Robots follows two indie developers building products without a corporate playbook.

Website:

https://firedbyrobots.com

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/033k2vKCq4wYBIdzX2whcZ

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fired-by-robots/id1896779874

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introducing GPT-6 Astra

02:52 Is Astra really better?

07:03 Astra fixes a week-long iOS bug

08:10 Claude still wins at app design

09:13 Building a 3D avatar with Astra

13:05 Astra and Claude subscription value

20:04 Where Astra still needs supervision

23:06 Weekly shipping commitments

28:00 August app revenue and hard paywalls

30:46 Upwork is now pay-to-compete

33:11 A $500 weekend automation project

41:21 Freelancing, pressure, and focus

46:40 Switching from Windows to Omarchy

49:37 Building a team of Hermes agents

59:39 Apple event and iOS 27

#IndieDev #AICoding #GPT6Astra

The conversation covers a range of topics including personal commitments, software development, AI models, and the future of software and technology. It delves into the challenges and opportunities in the software development industry, the impact of AI models on coding and design, and the evolving landscape of software and technology. The conversation covers a range of topics including UI development, streaming, Linux usage, cloud-based development, Grogbot, marketing strategies, Apple's surprise event, and the behavior of software developers. The discussion also delves into the challenges of AI projects and the dynamics of the developer community.

Takeaways

• Personal commitments and focus are essential for project completion.
• AI models like Fable and Codex are changing the landscape of coding and design.
• The future of software development may involve a shift towards AI-powered tools and a reimagining of the software industry. UI development and streaming
• Linux usage and cloud-based development
• Grogbot and marketing strategies
• Apple's surprise event and developer community dynamics

Chapters

• 00:00 Personal Commitments and Project Completion
• 03:21 The Impact of AI Models on Coding and Design
• 10:17 The Future of Software Development and Technology
• 21:00 Challenges and Opportunities in the Software Development Industry
• 27:55 The Role of AI Models in Software Development
• 37:02 UI Development and Streaming
• 38:00 Linux Usage and Cloud-Based Development
• 39:29 Grogbot and Marketing Strategies
• 01:00:07 Apple's Surprise Event and Developer Community Dynamics

The conversation delves into the exploration of Omachi and Linux, discussing the features, integration, and considerations for hardware and operating systems. It also covers the use of Grogbot and AI agents for various tasks and applications. The conversation covers a range of topics including email marketing, AI model comparison, Grogbot use case, AI subscriptions, gaming and AI automation, reflections on the Apple ecosystem and development, focus on specific app development and marketing, and accountability and future plans.

Takeaways

• Exploring the features and integration of Omachi on Linux.
• Considerations for hardware and operating systems when evaluating new machines.
• The use of Grogbot and AI agents for various tasks and applications. AI model comparison is essential for understanding the quality of AI-generated content.
• Grogbot's use case and functionality provide valuable insights into AI automation and content analysis.

Chapters

• 00:00 Exploring Omachi and Linux
• 02:47 Omachi Features and Integration
• 07:00 Considerations for Hardware and OS
• 26:13 Grogbot and AI Agents
• 43:55 Email Marketing and AI Writing
• 45:12 Comparison of AI Models
• 46:33 Grogbot Use Case and Functionality
• 47:18 Discussion on AI Subscriptions and Usage
• 01:01:16 Gaming and AI Automation
• 01:11:16 Reflections on Apple Ecosystem and Development
• 01:16:34 Focus on Specific App Development and Marketing
• 01:20:09 Accountability and Future Plans

The conversation covers topics related to mobile apps, AI, freelancing, and business growth. It delves into the sale of apps, revenue generation, YouTube channels, and the transition from contracting to product-based business. The conversation covers a wide range of topics, including business focus, B2B opportunities, mobile apps, automations, consulting, and the use of tools like Buzz and Grogbot. The discussion also delves into the changing landscape of hackathons, the emergence of outbeat.lol, and the challenges of gaining visibility for products.

Takeaways

• Mobile Apps
• AI
• Freelancing
• Business Growth B2B opportunities
• Changing landscape of hackathons
• Challenges of gaining visibility for products

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Weekly Updates
• 02:57 Selling Apps and Revenue Generation
• 08:11 YouTube Channels and Content Creation
• 13:01 App Development and Revenue Multiples
• 16:49 Transition to Product-Based Business
• 24:47 Contracting and Business Growth
• 52:54 Business Focus and B2B Opportunities
• 54:17 The Use of Tools and Platforms
• 01:37:04 The Emergence of outbeat.lol

The conversation covers the challenges of app review times, the impact of Apple's ecosystem, and the strategy for content creation and streaming. It also delves into the value of different social media platforms and the importance of discoverability. Paweł discusses his experience with automated content creation for VNOTes using the Fastlane platform, the success of the video meme format on social media, and the impact on VidNotes' growth. He also shares his decision to focus on one app and streamline his app portfolio, as well as his transition to Linux and open-source development.

Takeaways

• App review times are inconsistent and can lead to significant delays in app updates and releases.
• The value of different social media platforms varies, with live streaming and short-form video content being highlighted as effective strategies for content creation. Automated content creation using the Fastlane platform has been successful for VidNotes, especially with the video meme format.
• Focusing on one app and streamlining the app portfolio has led to better results and improved focus for Paweł.

Chapters

• 00:00 Content Creation and Streaming Strategy
• 32:06 Automated Content Creation for VNOTes with Fastlane
• 38:10 Focusing on One App and Streamlining the App Portfolio
• 39:49 Participation in Shipaton and Transition to Linux and Open-Source Development

The conversation covers topics related to travel, home, Shipathon participation, AI design tools, and the challenges of the App Store review process. It also delves into the changing landscape of app development and the impact of AI on design and development processes. The conversation covers various topics including the value of the App Store, open source projects, the use of speech-to-text applications, the development of B2B products, and the trend of vibecoding websites. The hosts also discuss the importance of focus and the changing landscape of indie development.

Takeaways

• Home and Travel
• Shipathon Participation
• AI Design Tools
• Challenges of App Store Review Process
• Changing Landscape of App Development App Store value is decreasing due to the flood of applications and the rise of alternative distribution channels.
• Open source projects like Parrot and AraPirorot provide valuable features for dictation and language support.
• Speech-to-text applications offer benefits such as faster input and improved context in prompts.
• The development of B2B products requires a focus on quality and value to attract and retain customers.
• Vibecoding websites can generate revenue through ad spots, demonstrating a new trend in indie development.

Chapters

• 00:00 Home and Travel
• 05:08 Shipathon Participation
• 16:43 AI Design Tools
• 29:31 Challenges of App Store Review Process
• 36:49 Changing Landscape of App Development
• 42:54 The Changing Value of the App Store
• 46:42 Open Source Projects and Speech-to-Text Applications
• 51:32 Exploring B2B Product Development
• 01:20:52 Trend of Vibecoding Websites