Christopher Allen’s Presentation at eComm 2009

iPhone in Action:Web Development

or SDK?Christopher Allen

March 2009

Christopher Allen

manning.com/callen

iPhone in Action:Web

Development or SDK?

There are two ways that you can program for the iPhone, using web development tools and using the SDK

iPhone in Action:Web Development or

SDK?


Web development leverages internet technologies


SDK?


Web development leverages internet technologies

The iPhone SDK leverage the full power of the iPhone and years of Apple’s development experience


SDK?

The iPhone’s Mobile Safari features:

HTML 4.01 and XHTML 1.0CSS 2.1 and some CSS 3Full DOMJavascript 1.4XMLHttpRequest

thus support for AJAXCanvasPDF & QuicktimeUp to 8 “tabs”Many custom WebKit functions

iPhone in Action:Web Development or SDK?

Additional Mobile Safari features:



Webkit CSS Transforms



Webkit CSS TransformsCanvas - Scalable Vector Graphics



Webkit CSS TransformsCanvas - Scalable Vector GraphicsDatabase - Local SQLite Storage



Webkit CSS TransformsCanvas - Scalable Vector GraphicsDatabase - Local SQLite StorageTouch Events


touchStarttouchMovetouchEnd

touchCancelgestureStart

gestureChangegestureEnd

changedTouchestargetTouches

touchesorientation

rotationscale


Webkit CSS TransformsCanvas - Scalable Vector GraphicsDatabase - Local SQLite StorageTouch EventsHide Mobile Safari’s Chrome


The iPhone SDK features:Same Mach kernel and Core OS as Macintosh


The iPhone SDK features:Same Mach kernel and Core OS as MacintoshMost of the same Core Services as Macintosh


The iPhone SDK features:Same Mach kernel and Core OS as MacintoshMost of the same Core Services as MacintoshMost of functionality available to Apple’s iPhone apps


The iPhone SDK features:Same Mach kernel and Core OS as MacintoshMost of the same Core Services as MacintoshMost of functionality available to Apple’s iPhone appsCocoa Touch with UIKit


The iPhone SDK features:Same Mach kernel and Core OS as MacintoshMost of the same Core Services as MacintoshMost of functionality available to Apple’s iPhone appsCocoa Touch with UIKitObjective C and C++ compiler


The iPhone SDK features:Same Mach kernel and Core OS as MacintoshMost of the same Core Services as MacintoshMost of functionality available to Apple’s iPhone appsCocoa Touch with UIKitObjective C and C++ compilerInterface Builder with UIKit templates


The iPhone SDK features:Same Mach kernel and Core OS as MacintoshMost of the same Core Services as MacintoshMost of functionality available to Apple’s iPhone appsCocoa Touch with UIKitObjective C and C++ compilerInterface Builder with UIKit templatesGreat debugging and profiling


Web Development Advantages


Same Advantages as in 2007

iPhone in

Action:Web Developm

ent or SDK?


Simplicity



Simplicity

Easier then using low-level C



Simplicity


Languages are dynamic



Simplicity



No memory management



Simplicity




Display of data is easy



Simplicity





Deployment is an upload



Simplicity





Deployment is an upload

Easy to use



Simplicity

Dynamism



Simplicity

Dynamism

Update functionality anytime



Simplicity

Dynamism


Easy to fix bugs



Simplicity

Dynamism


Easy to fix bugs

Give users the latest data



Simplicity

Dynamism

Globalized



Simplicity

Dynamism

Globalized

Part of global network



Simplicity

Dynamism

Globalized


One program for iPhone and desktop



Simplicity

Dynamism

Globalized



Access to rest of web



Simplicity

Dynamism

Globalized



Access to rest of web

Connected to everyone


Multiple Platforms

iPhone in

Action:Web Developm

ent or SDK?

SDK Development Advantages

Sophistication



Sophistication

Great depth of functionality



Sophistication


Superior development environment



Sophistication



Deeper access to internals



Sophistication




Camera, accelerometers, GPS, gestures, contacts, photos



Sophistication




Camera, accelerometers, GPS, gestures, contacts, photos

Better graphics and 3D



Sophistication

Accessibility



Sophistication

Accessibility

Always available



Sophistication

Accessibility

Always available

Functions without net



Sophistication

Accessibility

Always available


Cache data



Sophistication

Accessibility

Always available


Cache data

Native speed



Sophistication

Accessibility

Always available


Cache data

Native speed

Private



Sophistication

Accessibility

Monetization



Sophistication

Accessibility

Monetization

Easy to sell through App Store



Sophistication

Accessibility

Monetization

Easy to sell through App Store

Does not depend on advertisements or subscriptions


Both development approaches have their advantages.

You want to take advantage of each programming methods strengths and use it when appropriate.

Don’t blindly just use the SDK or the Web because you're more comfortable with it.


There are options to combine both approaches and thus play to their strengths

Mirrored Development

Mixed Development

Client-Server Development

Hybrid Development



Write a free web version as well a more fully featured SDK version



apnews.com & Mobile News App

iPhone in

Action:Web Developm

ent or SDK?

Mixed Development

Write different parts of a program suite via different means


Mixed Developmentgoogle.com/reader & Maps App

iPhone in

Action:Web Developm

ent or SDK?


Link in to web software through the SDK



Showtimes App & Gifts App

iPhone in

Action:Web Developm

ent or SDK?

Hybrid Development

Use PhoneGap plus native-looking iPhone Javascript libraries

Result is app that can be submitted to iPhone AppStore

You can now charge for your webapp

Cross-Platform for Android, Blackberry, more to come

http://phonegap.com/


http://phonegap.com/

Hybrid Development

Inside Trader & It’s On My iPhone

iPhone in

Action:Web Developm

ent or SDK?

Resources

iPhone In Action:Introduction to Web & SDK Development

manning.com/iphoneinactionOriented for web developersTopics:

Creating web apps optimized for the iPhone with Canvas, WebKit, and iUILearning about the iPhone native SDKProgramming with Cocoa Touch's UIKitBuilding apps that delve into the iPhone's toolboxBlending web & iPhone SDK development

Available Now in Print & PDFUpdates and Blog at iphoneinaction.manning.com


iPhoneWebDeviPhoneWebDev.com

iPhone in

Action:Web Developm

ent or SDK?

iUI Framework

iui.googlecode.comNavigation windows from JSON objectsNavigational objects using canvas UI tags for speedHandles phone rotation eventsSupports XmlHttpRequestA great iPhone user experience1.8KB with gzip and Dojo shrinksafeMoviesapp.com written in 5 hours...


moviesapp.com using iUI

iPhone in

Action:Web Developm

ent or SDK?

SQLite Safaritinyurl.com/sqlitesafari

iPhone in

Action:Web Developm

ent or SDK?

DashCode

iPhone in

Action:Web Developm

ent or SDK?

Dashcode Development

iPhone in

Action:Web Developm

ent or SDK?

PhoneGapphonegap.com

iPhone in

Action:Web Developm

ent or SDK?

TouchCode (json,xml,rss,...)

touchcode.googlecode.com

iPhone in

Action:Web Developm

ent or SDK?

<mailto:[email protected]>

mailto:[email protected]

Technology

Christopher Allen’s Presentation at eComm 2009