In fact, it’s been so long that you might think the pigeon got lost while trying to deliver this newsletter. 🕊️
But this was the busiest summer I’ve ever had, and honestly, I just didn’t find time to write these words earlier. But now I finally took the time and would love to share some very exciting updates with you! 🥳
🦢 Friends of Fauna in September
For many of you, this is old news, as it’s out for almost two weeks now. But to those who haven’t seen it - a new Friends of Fauna Puzzle has been released. This time, it’s the “Mute Swan”. I had the pleasure of watching two cygnets grow up in Graz this year, so this was a pretty obvious choice.
This beautiful photo was taken by Inga and I want to take a second to thank her, and everybody else sending beautiful pictures. Keep em coming!
The next Friends of Fauna Puzzle is scheduled for the first (full) week of October, so look out for what’s next 👀
Speaking of looks, Art of Fauna also got some design updates…
💧 The Art of iOS26
Yesterday, on 15th September, iOS 26 was launched. This is the new operating system for iPhone and iPad, and one of the biggest updates in years. It brings the fresh new Liquid Glass design, some interesting changes throughout the system, and a brand new Games app. This weekend, the Art of Fauna also got a big update to accompany the iOS 26 release.
Let’s dive into what’s new:
Liquid Glass:
I wanted to adapt the new design to fit better into the new OS, but without losing the core looks of the Art of Fauna. So the changes are subtle, but I’m quite happy with them. These new buttons kind of look like a magnifying glass on an old book and I love that 🔍
Game Center
Apple has released a brand new Games app with iOS 26. To be listed in this app, a game needs to support Game Center. And Game Center support has been on my list for a while, so this was the perfect opportunity to finally do it.
But I wanted to keep this integration very subtle. The Art of Fauna is and should always stay a non-competitive little cosy game. So the only addition are Achievements. For now, you will get one for completing each puzzle pack. But more will be added in the future, like for finding Easter eggs and for solving puzzles in multiple difficulties.
Awake
You might have heard of an app called Structured. It’s a day planned built by Leo Mehlig, a good friend of mine. Over the years, he has grown his one-man business into a lovely team. For iOS 26, they wanted to build something new - and that something is called Awake.
Awake is a wonderful new alarms app. The core concept is that your alarm will only be turned off after you have solved a fun mission. There are multiple of these missions, like turning your phone a couple of times, or solving a maths problem. Leo asked me if I would be interested in making solving an Art of Fauna puzzle also one of these missions. And I loved this idea.
So if you have Awake and Art of Fauna installed, you can now start your day by solving a random Art of Fauna puzzle. After the puzzle is finished, you will be guided back into Awake, where your alarm will then be turned off.
Earlier this year, a friend of mine (Frank Solleveld) and I set out to create a new app together. It is called PocketShelf and it’s a reading tracker. Frank and I started serious development in June and set a very ambitious goal to launch it with iOS26, which was released yesterday, 15th September 2025. So since yesterday, you can download PocketShelf from the App Store.
But why this new app? For me, it’s mainly because I am a terrible reader. I pick up a book, read a few pages and then don’t read for a month or so. When picking the book up again, I have obviously forgotten half of it. PocketShelf should be my fix. It nudges me to take notes while I am reading. The app then uses Apple’s local, privacy-first AI models to create a “What Previously Happened”, similar to what you know from TV shows. This helps me pick up the book again much quicker.
It has many more features, but this is PocketShelf in a nutshell. I would love it if you would try it out and let me know what you think.
If you like it, please leave a rating on the App Store! And if not, let me know how we can make it better for you. 😊
But you might wonder - What does it mean for Art of Fauna? Not too much, to be honest! It definitely took away more focus than I would have loved in the last two months. And I’m currently still busy with launch communication. But in a week or two, things should become much quieter again, and then the plan is to balance my time better between all of my apps. I promise that I will continue adding new content to The Art of Fauna - which brings me to the next point:
👻 It’s getting spooky!
Tasmanian Devil, drawn by H. C. Richter
Halloween is around the corner, which I think is an ideal occasion for a new Art of Fauna puzzle pack. Which animals will exactly appear in this puzzle is not set in stone. But the Ghost Bat and Tasmanian Devil are at least very strong contenders.
If you have any wishes or ideas for animals that should make the pack, then just reply to this mail! They don’t all have to be scary, they just need to fit the overall halloween theme.
Thank you so much for reading, for your support and your love towards The Art of Fauna. 💚
I promise the next newsletter will not take as long as this one. And next time, I will finally tell you more about the first donations I did with money from the Art of Fauna, as well as give you more details about the Halloween package!
Cheers, Klemens
PS: As always, if you love The Art of Fauna, then please take a minute and leave a review on the App Store. This helps a lot with getting found by other people. Thanks! 💚
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