Wiley iPhone OS Development: Your visual blueprint for developing apps for Apple's mobile devices 978-0-470-55651-1 Benutzerhandbuch
Produktcode
978-0-470-55651-1
2
Introducing iPhone
OS Devices
OS Devices
T
he iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad combine
innovative new computing technologies with a
completely new business model. Technologically,
innovative new computing technologies with a
completely new business model. Technologically,
developing for the iPhone family is challenging but
rewarding. The development environment is loosely based
on the Mac, with some extensions and limitations, but
the user environment is innovative and encourages
creative and novel experiences.
If you are a Mac developer, you will find many concepts
familiar and can likely start iPhone development after a
brief reorientation. If you are new to the Apple
development environment, give yourself a few weeks to
master the principles and programming models. This
book includes key concepts with worked examples.
Combined with Apple’s documentation, they will enable
you to move rapidly toward understanding and creating
your own applications.
rewarding. The development environment is loosely based
on the Mac, with some extensions and limitations, but
the user environment is innovative and encourages
creative and novel experiences.
If you are a Mac developer, you will find many concepts
familiar and can likely start iPhone development after a
brief reorientation. If you are new to the Apple
development environment, give yourself a few weeks to
master the principles and programming models. This
book includes key concepts with worked examples.
Combined with Apple’s documentation, they will enable
you to move rapidly toward understanding and creating
your own applications.
The iPhone OS documentation lists thousands of objects,
message definitions, and function calls. The biggest
challenge for new developers is learning which messages
are used to signal which event. The second-biggest
challenge is mastering the syntax of each call to the OS.
Every message type uses a different syntax, with different
data structures and access methods.
Fortunately, Apple’s code samples include generous
amounts of boilerplate code. When you begin developing
applications, you can copy this boilerplate to your own
projects and reuse it with minor edits. As you gain
experience, you can begin to customize it and extend it
to meet your own requirements. You will also learn how
to add custom messages and message handlers of your
own design.
message definitions, and function calls. The biggest
challenge for new developers is learning which messages
are used to signal which event. The second-biggest
challenge is mastering the syntax of each call to the OS.
Every message type uses a different syntax, with different
data structures and access methods.
Fortunately, Apple’s code samples include generous
amounts of boilerplate code. When you begin developing
applications, you can copy this boilerplate to your own
projects and reuse it with minor edits. As you gain
experience, you can begin to customize it and extend it
to meet your own requirements. You will also learn how
to add custom messages and message handlers of your
own design.
The App Store Advantage
Apple’s App Store is a key advantage because Apple
distributes your app and does significant marketing for
you. The ideal iPhone application is simple and elegant,
and its development is tightly focused, which means
development cycles can take months as opposed to years.
Therefore, you see the benefit from your development work
more quickly than you would from a typical desktop
product, and the cost of entry in both time and capital is
significantly lower.
distributes your app and does significant marketing for
you. The ideal iPhone application is simple and elegant,
and its development is tightly focused, which means
development cycles can take months as opposed to years.
Therefore, you see the benefit from your development work
more quickly than you would from a typical desktop
product, and the cost of entry in both time and capital is
significantly lower.
Apple’s iPhone SDK is free. To download it, you must sign
up as a developer at http://developer.apple.com/iphone.
Registrations are typically approved within 24 hours. If you
decide to distribute or sell your applications through the
App Store or test them on your own iPhone rather than
the SDK Simulator, you must pay Apple $99 to join the
Standard Developer Program. Individuals should allow a
month for signup. Small businesses should allow two
months.
up as a developer at http://developer.apple.com/iphone.
Registrations are typically approved within 24 hours. If you
decide to distribute or sell your applications through the
App Store or test them on your own iPhone rather than
the SDK Simulator, you must pay Apple $99 to join the
Standard Developer Program. Individuals should allow a
month for signup. Small businesses should allow two
months.
The App Store model is not perfect. You must allow two
weeks for testing of each submitted application, and not all
applications are accepted. There is no way to check if your
application will be approved ahead of submission. In the
past, Apple has blocked applications that compete with its
own products because its air-time partners have refused to
support them or for other reasons that remain inscrutable.
However, most applications are accepted. Many are
profitable. Some become very profitable indeed.
weeks for testing of each submitted application, and not all
applications are accepted. There is no way to check if your
application will be approved ahead of submission. In the
past, Apple has blocked applications that compete with its
own products because its air-time partners have refused to
support them or for other reasons that remain inscrutable.
However, most applications are accepted. Many are
profitable. Some become very profitable indeed.
Web Apps and Native Apps
This book includes information about developing native
applications. However, web applications remain an
interesting option on the iPhone. When the iPhone was
first released, no native SDK was available. All applications
were developed as web apps for the iPhone’s Mobile Safari
browser, which was optionally supported by server-side
data management.
applications. However, web applications remain an
interesting option on the iPhone. When the iPhone was
first released, no native SDK was available. All applications
were developed as web apps for the iPhone’s Mobile Safari
browser, which was optionally supported by server-side
data management.
Web apps blend HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and AJAX to
create an interface that mimics the iPhone’s native
interface. Flash is not supported. Web apps are not listed
in the App Store, but you can submit them to Apple, which
lists them in a dedicated area on the Apple web site. You
can also direct users to your web app within Mobile Safari
via a standard URL.
create an interface that mimics the iPhone’s native
interface. Flash is not supported. Web apps are not listed
in the App Store, but you can submit them to Apple, which
lists them in a dedicated area on the Apple web site. You
can also direct users to your web app within Mobile Safari
via a standard URL.
If you are familiar with web technologies and if your
application is relatively simple, you will find it is easier and
faster to create an iPhone web app than a native
application. The disadvantages of apps are limited
performance and limited support for the iPhone’s enhanced
hardware features. Unlike stand-alone applications, most
web apps do not work offline. Web apps are not covered in
detail in this book. They remain a legacy option for projects
that aggregate and summarize web information and
manage user interaction with web data.
application is relatively simple, you will find it is easier and
faster to create an iPhone web app than a native
application. The disadvantages of apps are limited
performance and limited support for the iPhone’s enhanced
hardware features. Unlike stand-alone applications, most
web apps do not work offline. Web apps are not covered in
detail in this book. They remain a legacy option for projects
that aggregate and summarize web information and
manage user interaction with web data.
03_556511-ch01.indd 2
03_556511-ch01.indd 2
2/24/10 9:52 PM
2/24/10 9:52 PM
COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL