The latest articles on DEV Community by Enes (@enes_f0d0cebca3dfc4980550). https://dev.to/enes_f0d0cebca3dfc4980550 https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F4160635%2Faa4d458a-8887-4bc5-844e-a155ac350f78.png https://dev.to/enes_f0d0cebca3dfc4980550 en Enes Sat, 03 Oct 2026 23:19:33 +0000 https://dev.to/enes_f0d0cebca3dfc4980550/building-sayhi-an-ephemeral-proximity-discovery-ios-app-with-swiftui-mapkit-4nch https://dev.to/enes_f0d0cebca3dfc4980550/building-sayhi-an-ephemeral-proximity-discovery-ios-app-with-swiftui-mapkit-4nch <h2> Introduction: Why Another Nearby Discovery App? </h2> <p>Traditional social networks are optimized for permanent connections and algorithmic feeds, while modern dating apps rely heavily on endless swipe decks. When you travel to a new city, work out of a local cafe, or attend a tech conference, you often don't want a heavy social network—you just want to know who is nearby, what vibe they share, and have a zero-friction way to break the ice.</p> <p>This was the motivation behind <strong><a href="https://apps.apple.com/app/id6785348229" rel="noopener noreferrer">SayHi: Wave Nearby</a></strong>, a native iOS application built entirely in Swift and SwiftUI.</p> <h2> Key Architectural Decisions </h2> <h3> 1. Interactive Proximity on MapKit without Performance Bottlenecks </h3> <p>Using MapKit's latest SwiftUI declarative Map APIs in iOS 17 and iOS 18:</p> <ul> <li> <strong>Clustered Annotations:</strong> Dynamic annotation clustering ensures that in dense urban areas, rendering 100+ avatar pins does not trigger main-thread hitches.</li> <li> <strong>Dynamic Camera Framing:</strong> Seamless camera easing between localized neighborhood zoom and regional discovery.</li> </ul> <h3> 2. Privacy-Preserving Fuzzed Coordinates </h3> <p>User privacy is paramount when building location-aware software:</p> <ul> <li> <strong>No Precise GPS Over The Wire:</strong> Exact latitude and longitude coordinates are never stored or broadcast.</li> <li> <strong>Sector Randomization:</strong> Coordinates are quantized and fuzzed into randomized grid sectors (~200m radius), computing approximate proximity without revealing exact buildings or residences.</li> </ul> <h3> 3. The Wave Mechanism: Casual, Low-Pressure Interaction </h3> <p>Instead of cold messaging or forced matching:</p> <ul> <li>Users tap to send a <strong>Wave</strong>!</li> <li>A wave triggers a fluid, hardware-accelerated spring animation using SwiftUI's PhaseAnimator.</li> <li>When both users wave at each other, an ephemeral chat opens up.</li> </ul> <h3> 4. Vibe-Based Intent Filters </h3> <p>Users can toggle explicit intentions in real time:</p> <ul> <li>Grab Coffee</li> <li>Explore the City</li> <li>Workout / Gym Partner</li> <li>Casual Conversation</li> </ul> <h2> Try It on iOS </h2> <p>SayHi is currently live worldwide on the App Store:</p> <ul> <li> <strong>Download on App Store:</strong> <a href="https://apps.apple.com/app/id6785348229" rel="noopener noreferrer">SayHi: Wave Nearby</a> </li> <li> <strong>Tech Stack:</strong> 100% Swift, SwiftUI, MapKit, CoreLocation, Combine/Async-Await.</li> </ul> <p>Would love to hear feedback from the developer community on location clustering, privacy design, and SwiftUI ergonomics!</p> buildinpublic ios mobile softwaredevelopment