Ant Browser
A lightweight web browser for your Apple Watch.
Why Ant Browser?
If you're like me, you probably want to spend less time glued to your phone and scrolling social media. There's a growing community of Digital Minimalists and dumbphone fans who see the Apple Watch as the perfect tool to cut down on doomscrolling. I belong to this mix—a Venn diagram of techno-optimists and digital minimalists—often rocking just an Apple Watch Cellular when I can. But what kept me reaching for my phone was needing a browser for things like timetables, sports scores, or quick price checks.
At first, a browser might seem counter to digital minimalism, but Ant Browser is different. It can't play videos, and the small screen makes social media impractical. It's built for utility, not distraction—perfect for quick lookups without falling into a doomscrolling spiral. The idea came from my own need: to leave my phone behind, whether running, grabbing coffee, or just staying present, while still being able to get quick web access. With my SwiftUI skills and help from AI, I made it happen.
Adventure in Development
Building Ant Browser was both a challenge and a learning journey. I wanted to push my coding skills while solving a real problem. Using AI tools like Cursor, I fast-tracked development and added quality-of-life features like URL error prevention, iCloud syncing, and localized results—features that would have taken much longer (or never!) otherwise. No frills, just utility.
Launch, Reception, and the Result
After months of refining, I launched Ant Browser and was featured on ProductHunt, and the response blew me away. Thousands of downloads poured in on day one. The best part? Hearing from people who found Ant Browser genuinely useful—those who saw the Apple Watch as the perfect minimalist device. Ant Browser quickly became a valued tool for those who prioritise utility over distraction.
Launching Ant Browser as a team of one, especially as a designer by trade, taught me the value of understanding the entire process—from initial concepting and design (our comfort zone) to coding, deployment, and even social media marketing. Knowing these steps end-to-end is invaluable, even if it's outside our typical playground.
Visit the antbrowser.app for more
Available for Apple Watch and iOS devices
I also built an iOS app to support features like bookmark syncing and in-app purchases to unlock additional features.
I built in the ability to select a country for localised results, along with many general and specialised search engines.