About the studio

An independent software studio

Mandelbrot Metal works at the intersection of art, mathematics, science, and high-performance graphics. Founded by engineer Michael Stebel, the studio creates precise, visually rich apps that harness the computing power and GPUs of modern Apple hardware.

After more than 40 years leading public and private technology companies, Michael now runs a one-person studio, designing and building apps for macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. His work brings together thoughtful design, reproducible results, and openness about how the technology works.

Mandelbrot Metal

Our flagship app brings Mandelbrot and Julia fractals to life on iPhone and iPad. Browser-style Exploration History restores complete creative states, giving you the freedom to experiment with a composition and retrace your discoveries.

Version 3.0 introduces the Infinity Engine, combining Metal-accelerated perturbation, quad-single recovery, compensated coordinates, and adaptive precision for Mandelbrot exploration through the validated 10²⁵× limit. Free and Pro share the same rendering engine; the optional Pro upgrade adds creative and export tools. Mandelbrot Metal is available in 16 languages.

Explore Mandelbrot Metal

PaletteWright™

PaletteWright for Mac and iPad is an accessibility-first color-system compiler for designers and developers. Its Source, Build, Roles, Validate, and Ship workflow connects color inspiration to implementation. Import colors from screens, photos, websites, CSS, tokens, folders, and palettes; refine them with perceptual models; then map roles, aliases, and components across Light, Dark, and Increased Contrast modes.

Validation evaluates declared relationships across modes and states using WCAG 2.2 contrast, versioned APCA guidance, color-vision analysis, local Figma audits, and rendered WebKit checks, with clear Pass, Fail, or Needs Review outcomes. Tagged sRGB and Display-P3 support and adaptive exports help carry the result into Web, Apple, and Android development. PaletteWright is available in 16 languages.

Visit PaletteWright.com

ISS Real-Time Tracker 3D

Follow the International Space Station, Tiangong space station, and Hubble Space Telescope on an interactive 3D Earth. ISS Real-Time Tracker 3D brings live orbital tracking to iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple silicon Macs.

Predict visible flyovers up to 30 days ahead, set pass reminders, and explore each flyover’s path with the interactive SkyDome 3D view. Crew profiles and live HD Earth video bring space exploration closer. The app has surpassed 125,000 downloads since launch and is available in English.

Visit issrtt.com