Updated
Updated · The Verge · May 3
Derrick Downey Jr.'s DualShot Recorder tops App Store paid apps
Updated
Updated · The Verge · May 3

Derrick Downey Jr.'s DualShot Recorder tops App Store paid apps

4 articles · Updated · The Verge · May 3
  • The $6.99 iPhone app reached number one within 12 hours, stayed there for eight days and remains in the top 20.
  • Built in Los Angeles after Downey struggled to film vertical and horizontal video at once, it uses the full camera sensor to save both formats without losing resolution.
  • Downey, a wildlife creator known for squirrel videos, says he used AI coding tools including Claude, later raised the price to $9.99, and collects no user data.
How did a squirrel influencer with no coding skills build the App Store’s #1 paid app?
As AI fakes wildlife photos, can a new app champion authentic content creation?
Can a one-time purchase app thrive in a market now dominated by subscriptions?