FlipON: Split-Flap Display

FlipON v1.0 is live — custom messages, clock mode & 5 themes. Turn your iPhone into the airport board you've always wanted. Free forever.

There's a sound that airports make just before the boards flip. A cascade of mechanical clicks — then a new destination snaps into place. FlipON brings that moment to your iPhone, iPad

FlipON renders a pixel-faithful 22x5 split-flap board — the kind you'd find at Zurich Airport or Amsterdam Schiphol — with staggered tile animations and algorithmically generated mechanical sound. Every one of the 110 character tiles flips independently. Every message is a performance.

YOUR DISPLAY. YOUR MESSAGES.

Most flip-display apps show you the time and nothing else. FlipON is different. Write anything — a daily affirmation, your name, a favourite line — and watch it flip onto the board, letter by letter, in a cascade of mechanical motion. Your words, given life.

• Custom messages editor — type in 22x5 uppercase and hit play
• Clock mode — only the changing digits animate, tick by tick
• 8 curated motivational quotes cycle automatically
• Tap to advance, swipe left/right to navigate, or let it run

THE ASMR OF AMBIENT DISPLAYS

There's a reason people spend hours watching departure boards. The combination of anticipation, mechanical rhythm, and the satisfying snap as each tile locks into place creates a meditative quality that screens rarely achieve. FlipON captures it completely.

The sound is not a looped sample — it is algorithmically synthesised, with clicks that start fast and decelerate to a stop, precisely replicating the physics of real hardware. The scramble colours flash through cyan, magenta, and orange before each character snaps home. Calming without being boring. Stimulating without being stressful. Your ambient companion for the desk, the nightstand, and every in-between moment.

THE DETAILS THAT MAKE IT EXTRAORDINARY

FlipON is built by someone who cares deeply about the details:

• 110 independently animated tiles — each one on its own staggered schedule, cycling through coloured scramble phases before landing on the final character
• Procedural mechanical sound — algorithmically synthesised clicks, not a canned sample, that decelerate exactly like real hardware
• Haptic feedback — a subtle pulse on each message transition reinforces the tactile, mechanical feel you can almost touch
• Staggered timing — 25ms delay per tile, 800ms scramble, 300ms flip — tuned frame-by-frame to match the original airport boards

MADE FOR EVERY SCENARIO

• StandBy & bedside clock — prop your iPhone up and wake to beautifully flipping digits
• Desk display — run natively on Mac via Catalyst, always visible at the edge of your workspace
• Landscape mode — tiles scale up dramatically for full-screen immersion in portrait or landscape
• Multiple board themes — classic dark, airport black, warm amber, cool blue, and more
• Animation speed: 0.4x contemplative slow-motion to 3.0x satisfying fast-forward
• Message interval: 2-15 seconds — your pace, your calm
• Event & reception signage — display a name, greeting, or slogan on an iPad for your booth or desk

CRAFTED FOR APPLE

Built entirely in SwiftUI — zero UIKit dependencies. Guided first-run experience powered by TipKit. Supports VoiceOver, Reduce Motion, and Dynamic Type throughout. Runs natively on iPhone, iPad, and Mac (Catalyst) from a single, carefully maintained codebase.

All custom messages live exclusively on your device — never uploaded, never analysed, never sold. No account required. No subscription required.

FlipON is free. It's supported by unobtrusive ads. You'll be asked once — via Apple's App Tracking Transparency — whether you want personalised recommendations. That is as intrusive as this app ever gets.

Let the board flip! : )