AppleVis Podcast
AppleVis Podcast

AppleVis Extra 114: Blind Developer Showcase: A Chat with Ashley Cox of Simulcast

July 26, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Ashley Cox started building Simulcast because the podcast app she relied on, Downcast, stopped getting updates, and the alternatives didn’t fit her workflow. But what began as a personal project turned into something bigger: a fully native, cross-platform podcast client for all Apple devices that also includes internet radio and Apple Music integration. In this conversation with David Nason, Cox walks through her development journey, the psychology of building for yourself versus building for others, and the practical realities of coding as a blind developer.

The psychology of scratching your own itch

Cox’s approach to app development is rooted in a simple principle: build what you need. Her first Swift app, Levely, came from wanting to level her turntable more accurately than the stock iOS spirit level allowed. Simulcast grew out of frustration with existing podcast apps that lacked the features and workflow she wanted. “I was gonna make it anyway,” she says. “If I’m gonna build it, why don’t I let other people use it?”

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (01:30) **Ashley's Background and Path into Development** - Ashley Cox introduces herself as a college dropout turned software developer, bitten by the coding bug in the early 2000s.
  • 2 (05:01) **The Changing Landscape of Coding and Resources** - Ashley reflects on how much more complex development has become, despite more resources being available.
  • 3 (07:15) **Learning Languages and Choosing a Tech Stack** - Ashley explains his practical, task-driven approach to learning new languages and frameworks.
  • 4 (12:56) **Mac vs. Windows: Muscle Memory and Accessibility** - Ashley shares his journey from expert PC user to full-time Mac user, and his thoughts on VoiceOver.
  • 5 (17:47) **Coding with VoiceOver: Workflow and Verbosity** - Ashley describes his personal screen reader settings and how they affect his development work.
  • 6 (21:24) **The Birth of Simulcast: From Frustration to Feature-Rich App** - Ashley explains why he started building his own podcast client, Simulcast.
  • 7 (23:57) **Learning Swift and Apple's Developer Experience** - Ashley discusses his first Swift app (Levely, a spirit level) and the frustrations of dealing with Apple as a developer.

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Show Notes

In this episode of the AppleVis Extra podcast, David Nason is joined by Ashley Cox, a blind software developer who is building native apps for Apple's platforms with a strong focus on accessibility, usability, and thoughtful design.

Ashley shares his journey into software development—from teaching himself HTML in the early days of the web to developing sophisticated Swift applications for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro. Along the way, he discusses how personal needs often inspire his projects and why creating software for yourself can lead to better experiences for everyone.

The conversation takes an in-depth look at Simulcast, Ashley's upcoming podcast application that combines podcast playback, internet radio, Apple Music integration, iCloud syncing, Siri support, and a host of accessibility-focused features into one native Apple experience. Ashley also discusses two additional projects currently in development: Levelly, a precision spirit level for iPhone; and Audit, a modern single-track audio editor designed specifically for macOS.

David and Ashley also explore:

  • Learning Swift as a blind developer
  • Why native apps still matter
  • Cross-platform versus native development
  • Building accessible interfaces from the ground up
  • VoiceOver customization, rotor support, and real-world testing
  • Working with hundreds of beta testers
  • Using Apple APIs such as Siri, Apple Intelligence, ShazamKit, and iCloud
  • The realities—and frustrations—of publishing software on the App Store
  • Pricing apps without relying solely on subscriptions
  • How AI is changing modern software development
  • Why blind developers bring unique perspectives to software design

Whether you're interested in Apple development, accessibility, podcast apps, or hearing from developers within the blind community, this conversation offers an honest look behind the scenes of modern app development and the passion required to bring quality software to life.

Resources & Links:

If you're interested in following the development of Simulcast, joining the beta, or reading feedback from early testers, be sure to visit the AppleVis discussion thread linked above. It includes feature updates, development news, and information on participating in the TestFlight beta.

Thanks for listening to the AppleVis Extra podcast.

Transcript

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not

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