The context should be clear that this is talking exclusively about apps that store their data in the cloud.
Local-first here means starting with a local data model that syncs to the cloud from the start, rather than an app that only works online.
Local-first here means starting with a local data model that syncs to the cloud from the start, rather than an app that only works online.
So Photoshop, Blender, etc. -- these are not apps that store their data in the cloud. They're using filesystems. There's no sync. They're not local-first, they're just local.
But the Apple apps -- Notes, Music, Calendar -- they are very much local-first. Their source of truth is in iCloud when you activate that, but they fully work offline as well and then sync once there's a connection. This is completely different from e.g. Photoshop.
(I know you said not web apps, but it does have a desktop version)