Real-life ad blockers 🕶️

Real-life adblockers have arrived.

Just launched this weekend, these nifty "IRL" glasses block out any screens. They were designed after the movie THEY LIVE, a 1998 cult classic where the protagonist finds a magical pair of glasses that blocks ads. 😂

This might seem farfetched, but a massive wave of digital IRL advertisments are coming soon. Grabb -It (YC '18) and Vugo put screens on Ubers to sell you stuff during your ride. They can even target specific ads based on the car's location, which means your ride home on Friday night could soon be pushing hangover cures (like this one).

Ads aren't necessarily bad. Consumers and businesses typically benefit when underutilized assets (like your attention!) are unlocked. For example, your Uber rides will likely become cheaper as car-based ads grow around the world. Advertisers get access to a new marketing channel, and drivers can supplement driving income with advertising revenue. Win for everybody.

But... unlike digital ads on websites, it's much harder to ignore these digital IRL advertisments. They catch our eye with flashy animations and famous faces, placed strategically in places that we can't avoid. For those of us who prefer to focus, the new IRL glasses might save the day. 😎

ad-blocking glasses

Grow your app with Setapp: revenue, users, & AI

You shipped the app. Now comes the part nobody warns you about.

Billing across dozens of countries. Licensing agreements. Tax compliance. Customer support for users you haven't met yet. And if your app does anything with AI, add provider management and infrastructure costs to the pile. None of that is why you started building — but all of it is now your problem.

Setapp is trying to take it off your plate.

You probably know Setapp as the subscription marketplace — one monthly price, hundreds of Mac apps. On May 21st, they turned toward developers. The pitch is simple: list your app, reach users who are already looking, and let Setapp handle the business layer.