App: the Human Story, why we were onboard the minute we heard about it

In 2013 Jampp sponsored a then little-known Kickstarter project and indie film documentary “exploring what it means to be human in a world of technology” called App: The Human Story. Apps have shaped today’s world and documenting how information and services got to be a button-click away has been no easy feat. Filmmakers Jake Schumacher and Jedidiah Hurt have been working on the movie for the past four years, now the release is just around the corner and we couldn’t be more excited.

Why we ❤️ this project

We’ve come to take apps for granted. Why wouldn’t we? In 2012 there were approximately 1.4 million apps between Google Play and the App Store, there are now 5.6 million, and it’s been estimated that by 2020, there’ll be 5 million apps on the App Store alone. 😱

The solution to most every-day tasks and problems is “there’s an app for that”. We use them everyday without giving it too much thought: we book plane rides and taxis with the same number of clicks, read the news and our facebook feeds, shop for presents, groceries, shoes…

Apple’s Appocalypse clip earlier this year proposed a fun (and slightly scary) depiction of where we’d be without them…

All of us, not just us geeks, all of us rely on apps. Our phones, and the apps in them, are an extension of us. So what’s the story behind these apps?

The film chronicles the views of a wide range of app developers and industry experts and covers everything from the profundity of the touch interface to how apps can make us superhuman.

Given our passion for technology we caught up briefly with filmmakers Jake Schumacher and Jedidiah Hurt (who even found time to launch an app of their own during filming!) to ask what 3 things are most different today across the app industry, compared with when they first started filming. Here’s what they had to say:

#1 Apps are more interconnected

“When we started the project apps really were silos. In the last 3 years changes at the platform level to interconnect apps started to roll out. I personally really hope this trend continues to the point iOS can be a deep, creative production platform for a wider group of artists.”

#2 Developers are more outspoken

“Early on, the developers we spoke with were, for the most part, quietly dissatisfied with the App Store, but in the time we have been working on the project we’ve seen a dramatic increase in emboldened public posts from these same developers calling out the failings of the App Store. Brent Simmons has this great line “It is the right of the infantry to complain”, but even he has moved from the ranks into more of an activist’s role.”

#3 The App Store is more dynamic and evolving quicker than ever before

“When we started there had been little to no significant changes in the App Store for developers in a long time. Since Phil Schiller took over in December of 2015 there have been some developer-friendly changes for subscription based apps. Let’s hope this trend continues if not ramps up.”

From what we can make out… the movie promises to be a fascinating look at the cultural phenomenon that touches all our lives. We wish Jake and Jedidah all the best for a successful launch and great reviews! 🤓

Check out the trailer and stay tuned for the upcoming release date!