Tristan Homsi, a Readwise cofounder, deliberately uses a relatively outdated iPhone to better understand the devices his users have. He told The Verge’s Installer newsletter that choosing an iPhone 13, whose specs are closer to those of the median Readwise user, helps him catch performance regressions and bugs that developers with newer phones miss.
The interview in the newsletter’s homescreen feature also lists the apps Homsi has on his homescreen. It includes Clock, Settings, Google Calendar, Camera, Google Maps, Spotify, Bay Wheels, Oura, Eight Sleep, Auto Eight, BeReal, ChatGPT, Runmeter, Strava, and Readwise Highlights and Reader, with Readwise Books in a widget. He also says he has Clearspace installed, which helps him stay off social media.
He noted that iOS 26 itself does not work amazingly on an iPhone 13, with lagging and janky animations. He said he was somewhat bought into the theory that successive iOS versions use more resources and do fancier things, making older phones work worse and encouraging people to buy new ones, though not necessarily intentionally.
Beyond phone apps, Homsi shared other interests. He follows niche blogs such as Slime Mold Time Mold, Gwern.net, Deepfates and Dynomight. His most recent fiction favorite was the Red Knight series, which he recommends only to readers into dense, dark fantasy. For non-fiction, he said The Beginning of Infinity is his favorite book of all time.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Homsi’s deliberate choice to use an older device underscores the gap between what developers experience and what typical users encounter, highlighting the value of user empathy in software design.
- The homescreen provides a practical list of apps for productivity, health, and focus that readers might adopt or try.
- The interview illustrates how founders can use their own products critically to improve quality.
Background
Readwise is a startup that makes tools for saving and organizing highlights from books and articles. Its apps, such as Readwise Reader and Readwise Books, sync with platforms like Kindle and offer social features. Tristan Homsi cofounded the company and is involved in product design and development.
What to Watch
- Readwise may introduce new features based on Homsi’s observations from using an older device, especially around performance on less powerful hardware.
- The company’s apps, already growing as alternatives to Goodreads, could gain further traction as they integrate social and bookmarking features.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedReadwise’s cofounder uses an outdated iPhone to build user empathy.The Verge: “I chose to buy this relatively outdated phone last year… because it’s closer in specs to the median device our Readwise users have and helps me build a bit more user empathy with them.”
- SupportedTristan Homsi told The Verge why he chose an iPhone 13 and shared his homescreen apps.The Verge: “I asked him to share his homescreen to see if I might be able to get a hint about what he’s reading and the other stuff he thinks is good. Here’s Tristan’s homescreen, plus some info on the apps he uses and why: The phone: iPhone 13 (!).”
- SupportedHomsi deliberately chose a relatively outdated iPhone to better understand the devices Readwise users have.The Verge: “I chose to buy this relatively outdated phone last year… because it’s closer in specs to the median device our Readwise users have and helps me build a bit more user empathy with them.”
- SupportedThe iPhone 13’s specs are closer to those of the median Readwise user’s device.The Verge: “it’s closer in specs to the median device our Readwise users have”
- SupportedUsing the iPhone 13 helps Homsi catch Readwise performance regressions and bugs that developers with newer phones miss.The Verge: “I’m able to catch performance regressions and bugs in Readwise that the developers on our team with Duos and Pro Maxes and such miss.”
- SupportedHomsi’s homescreen includes the listed apps, with Readwise Books in a widget.The Verge: “The apps: Clock, Settings, Google Calendar, Camera, Google Maps, Spotify, Bay Wheels, Oura, Eight Sleep, Auto Eight, BeReal, ChatGPT, Runmeter, Strava, Readwise Highlights, Readwise Reader … Readwise Books in widget form at the top!”
- SupportedHomsi has Clearspace installed to help him stay off social media.The Verge: “I also have Clearspace installed, which helps me stay off of all social media.”
- SupportedHomsi says iOS 26 does not work amazingly on an iPhone 13, with lagging and janky animations.The Verge: “iOS 26 itself does not work amazingly on an iPhone 13. Lots of lagging and janky animations.”
- SupportedHomsi is somewhat bought into the theory that successive iOS versions use more resources and do fancier things, making older phones work worse and encouraging people to buy new ones, though not necessarily intentionally.The Verge: “I am somewhat bought into the conspiracy theory that they make the old phones suck so you buy a new one… not so much intentionally, but rather by virtue of just making each successive iOS use more and more resources, doing fancier and fancier things.”
- SupportedHomsi follows Slime Mold Time Mold, Gwern.net, Deepfates and Dynomight.The Verge: “I love the blog Slime Mold Time Mold, famous for their citizen science and potato-maxxing. I also love Gwern.net, Deepfates, and Dynomight”
- SupportedHomsi’s most recent fiction favorite was the Red Knight series, which he recommends only to readers into dense, dark fantasy.The Verge: “The most recent fiction series I loved was the Red Knight series — which I can only recommend if you are into dense, dark, fantasy”
- SupportedHomsi says The Beginning of Infinity is his favorite book of all time for non-fiction.The Verge: “For non-fiction, it’s hard for me to plug anything but my favorite book of all time, The Beginning of Infinity.”
