5 Month Update — Thank You for Your Continued Support Another month has passed, and SeaChart has now been available for approximately five months. This month has actually been a very active development period. In addition to ongoing maintenance and bug fixes, I have implemented a number of new features and improvements based on real user feedback. I would especially like to thank **Hassanein Makhlouf**, who has spent a considerable amount of time testing the app and providing many thoughtful and practical suggestions. A number of his suggestions have already influenced recent improvements, and several others are now part of the future development plan. For an independent project like SeaChart, this kind of detailed feedback is extremely valuable. It helps me understand how the app is actually being used in the real world and often highlights usability issues or ideas that are difficult to discover through development and testing alone. Alongside these new features and improvements, I am currently focusing most of my development time on two high-priority tasks. The first is the iOS release. Unfortunately, the iOS version is still going through the Apple review and compliance process. I am continuing to work through the issues raised by Apple, but at this point I honestly do not know how much longer the process will take. One of the difficulties is that each new submission or response generally takes around **3–4 days** before I receive another review result. If Apple raises another issue, I need to make the necessary changes, submit another build, and wait again. I will continue working on it until the iOS version is approved, but unfortunately the timing is largely outside of my control. The second major priority is improving the depth chart system. I have been working on processing, cutting, optimizing, and distributing much higher-quality depth data so that it can eventually be used efficiently inside the app. The **New Zealand dataset is now largely completed**. My next planned areas are the **Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea**. These are much larger datasets and require significant processing and preparation, so I currently expect this stage of the work may take around one month. During the past few months, I have also purchased several real AIS devices for testing. Unfortunately, international shipping is taking longer than expected, so some of the equipment has still not arrived. Once everything arrives, I will continue expanding real-world AIS testing and improving the reliability of AIS-related features. As the project continues to grow, so does the cost of maintaining and developing it. My total personal investment in SeaChart has now reached approximately **NZD 70,000**. This includes chart and geographic data processing, servers, storage, development hardware, Apple hardware, AIS equipment, software services, testing equipment, and many other ongoing expenses. There has also finally been some good news regarding donations. Since the previous update, I have received **three NZD 9.90 donations from two users**. These are the first donations the project has received, and I genuinely appreciate them. Thank you very much to both users who chose to support SeaChart. Regarding donations on iOS, I currently do **not** plan to enable a donation option through Apple's in-app purchase system. The reason is simply that the economics do not make much sense for a small independent developer. For a small donation, after GST, Apple's commission, income tax, ACC-related costs, and other applicable expenses, the amount that ultimately reaches the developer can be less than half of what the user originally paid. For example, if someone intends to support the project with approximately NZD 10, the amount that actually contributes to development can end up being surprisingly small. Because of this, I do not currently feel comfortable encouraging users to donate through a system where such a large proportion of a small contribution is lost along the way. Donations will always remain completely optional. SeaChart is not being developed with the expectation that users must donate, and nobody should feel pressured to contribute financially. Simply using the app, reporting bugs, suggesting improvements, testing new features, leaving a genuine review, or recommending SeaChart to another person is already extremely helpful. For the immediate future, my two highest-priority tasks are therefore: 1. Continue working through Apple's compliance and review process until the iOS version is approved. 2. Continue building the new depth-data processing and distribution system, with New Zealand largely completed and the Mediterranean and Red Sea planned next. At the same time, development of other features has not stopped. I will continue implementing useful improvements where possible, especially when they come from clear and practical user feedback. I still read all feedback and feature requests carefully. I cannot promise that every request will be implemented immediately, but good suggestions are absolutely being considered and many of them are already influencing the direction of the app. Thank you again to everyone who continues to use SeaChart, report problems, suggest improvements, test new versions, leave reviews, and support the project. A special thank you again to **Hassanein Makhlouf** for the many constructive suggestions and detailed feedback, and to the two users who made the first three donations to the project. Five months in, SeaChart is still a very young project, and there is a huge amount of work ahead. I will continue doing everything I can to make it more accurate, more reliable, and more useful for everyone.