Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter and CEO of Block (formerly Square), keeps shaking up the app scene. After launching a new Bluetooth messaging app last week, he has now released another iPhone app focused on health and wellness. This second app, called Sun Day, helps users track their UV exposure and estimate their Vitamin D intake throughout the day.
What’s Happening & Why This Matters
Jack Dorsey’s latest app, Sun Day, is available in beta through Apple’s TestFlight platform. The app lets users press a button when stepping into the sunlight to begin tracking UV exposure, then press it again when leaving sunlight to stop. Using data like the local UV index, cloud cover, and sunrise/sunset times, the app estimates the amount of Vitamin D absorbed during that period.
Unlike other health trackers, Sun Day doesn’t measure UV light hitting the phone itself. That means users must actively mark their sun exposure times, as carrying the phone in a pocket won’t register sunlight automatically. The app also asks users to specify their skin type from six options and select their clothing to estimate how much skin is exposed. It even alerts users when they risk sunburn based on these factors.
This follows Dorsey’s recent release of Bitchat, a Bluetooth-based messaging app designed to work without cellular or Wi-Fi connections. Bitchat uses Bluetooth Low Energy mesh networking to allow peer-to-peer messaging within physical proximity. However, security concerns surfaced soon after launch, leading Dorsey to caution users that Bitchat isn’t secure for sensitive communications until it undergoes further review.
Dorsey credits his burst of creativity to an open-source AI platform named Goose, which helps transform app ideas into working prototypes quickly. He called Sun Day a “weekend project,” suggesting more innovative apps might be on the horizon.
TF Summary: What’s Next
Jack Dorsey’s health-focused app Sun Day brings a fresh take to personal wellness by helping users monitor their Vitamin D intake using smart environmental data. While still in beta, it shows promise for users seeking simple tools to manage their sun exposure safely. Meanwhile, Bitchat’s Bluetooth messaging concept may mature with further security improvements, offering a novel communication method free from traditional networks.
Both apps showcase Dorsey’s interest in leveraging AI and mesh technology to create practical, user-friendly tools. Keep an eye out for more apps as this rapid release streak continues.
— Text-to-Speech (TTS) provided by gspeech