The Client
Unlike many of our projects, Tent Finder was not developed for a client.
It began as an internal Swipe & Tap passion project after recognising a common problem faced by festival-goers, campers and travellers: remembering exactly where they left their tent, car or meeting point.
Anyone who has attended a large music festival knows how difficult it can be to navigate back to the correct location after a long day. We saw an opportunity to create a simple mobile app that solved that problem without requiring complicated setup or an internet connection.
The Problem
Finding your way back to a tent, campsite, parking space or meeting point can quickly become frustrating, particularly in large outdoor environments where many locations look almost identical.
Existing navigation tools often require multiple steps, active data connections or are designed for more complex journeys rather than quickly returning to a previously saved location.
The challenge was to create something simple enough to use in seconds, while still being reliable when users needed it most.
Key requirements included:
- Simplicity: Save a location with minimal interaction
- Apple Watch Support: Quick access directly from the wrist
- Reliable Location Tracking: Accurate GPS positioning
- Fast Retrieval: Instantly return to previously saved locations
- Festival-Friendly Design: Easy to use in busy outdoor environments
The Solution
We developed a native iPhone application with an accompanying Apple Watch app that allows users to save and return to important locations with a single tap.
Whether it's a tent, parked car, campsite entrance or meeting point, users can quickly record a location and access it later from either their phone or watch.
Technical Implementation
The application was built using Apple's native frameworks, enabling tight integration between iPhone and Apple Watch.
- Core Location for accurate GPS positioning
- MapKit for location display and navigation
- Apple Watch Integration for quick access on the wrist
- Native Swift Development for performance and reliability
Key Features
- One-Tap Location Saving - quickly save a tent, vehicle or point of interest
- Apple Watch Support - access saved locations directly from your wrist
- Location History - view previously saved locations
- Simple Navigation - quickly find your way back to a saved point
- Clean User Experience - designed to be intuitive even in busy festival environments
The Outcome
Tent Finder demonstrates how some of the best software ideas come from solving everyday problems.
By focusing on a single challenge and removing unnecessary complexity, we created a lightweight utility that helps users quickly find important locations when they need them most.
The project also provided an opportunity to explore deeper Apple Watch integration and location-based services, helping strengthen our expertise in native iOS development and wearable technology.
While Tent Finder began as a passion project, it reflects the same principles we bring to client work every day: understand the problem, keep the solution simple, and build technology around real user needs.
