Apple releases iPhone OS 3.2 SDK for iPad
Apple has officially released the new software development kit for iPhone OS 3.2, which enables third party developers to begin creating new apps that take advantage of new features of the iPad.
Existing members of Apple's iPhone Developer Program can login and download the new SDK, which includes an iPad simulator for testing new apps under development.
The site also presents an iPad Programming Guide that "introduces new features available for iPad and how to implement those features in your applications," as well as new iPad Human Interface Guidelines.
Apple says the new user interface guidelines outline "how to effectively use the new views and controls available to you to deliver unforgettable applications to your customers."
The SDK also includes new example code projects that "provide an example of how to accomplish a task for a specific technology."
Apple is also launching a new Universal Application binary format for iPhone OS apps that allows developers to deliver a single app that can take full advantage of the features of the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. This essentially wraps iPhone and iPad code into the same app package for easy distribution and management.
Existing members of Apple's iPhone Developer Program can login and download the new SDK, which includes an iPad simulator for testing new apps under development.
The site also presents an iPad Programming Guide that "introduces new features available for iPad and how to implement those features in your applications," as well as new iPad Human Interface Guidelines.
Apple says the new user interface guidelines outline "how to effectively use the new views and controls available to you to deliver unforgettable applications to your customers."
The SDK also includes new example code projects that "provide an example of how to accomplish a task for a specific technology."
Apple is also launching a new Universal Application binary format for iPhone OS apps that allows developers to deliver a single app that can take full advantage of the features of the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. This essentially wraps iPhone and iPad code into the same app package for easy distribution and management.
Comments
nothing exciting..
I disagree. This is the beginning of big things.
Apple is also launching a new Universal Application binary format for iPhone OS apps that allows developers to deliver a single app that can take full advantage of the features of the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. This essentially wraps iPhone and iPad code into the same app package for easy distribution and management.
Good luck with that. I can see iPhone apps scaling up for the iPad, but I expect the better made iPad apps to not be transferable to the iPhone.
Good luck with that. I can see iPhone apps scaling up for the iPad, but I expect the better made iPad apps to not be transferable to the iPhone.
I think they mean to wrap both versions of the app into one wrapper, not expect the app to work on both platforms unchanged.
I'd bet that this is the case with all the Apple iPad apps. I don't see them writing a mail client for each device, nor is it a good strategy to take.
Eventually, the ideal would seem to be two streams, OS-X "desktop" and OS-X "mobile." You would want the OS-X mobile apps to work on any and all mobile devices (irrespective of screen size and other things), and to reconfigure themselves depending on the device they are running on. So Facebook's app is just Facebook's app and it reconfigures itself for the iPad when it's running on one, spreading out to include more real estate, features etc. Same with all the others.
This makes a huge amount of sense IMO.
Good luck with that. I can see iPhone apps scaling up for the iPad, but I expect the better made iPad apps to not be transferable to the iPhone.
There probably doesn't have to be feature parity between the two versions. Developers could make iPad apps with simplified iPhone versions as a bonus to those who have both devices. I do hope they allow developers to charge separately for iPad and iPhone versions though, or we might see less work put into optimizing apps for each device.
I'm surprised they even used the Universal Binary name, since the iPad and iPhone have the same processor architecture. Porting between platforms might be as simple as tweaking the interface and making the best of the available processor speed.
nothing exciting..
For you may be. But for developer it is exciting. The first beta release was not complete and you could not do much with porting your existing iPhone app. This release is actually much better. I can now start working on universal binary for my App and have it ready for the final release.
I'm surprised they even used the Universal Binary name, since the iPad and iPhone have the same processor architecture. Porting between platforms might be as simple as tweaking the interface and making the best of the available processor speed.
That is my biggest problem with it. Universal code for the Mac compiled the very small amount of code for PPC and Intel, but Universal in this sense will different layouts but the same processor type. That is a lot of extra code unless Apple got very clever. I'd like iPhone apps that can run on the iPad and iPad apps that don't run on the iPhone, if they can put both into one package to help sell the iPad I'm okay with that, but if it's a "write once run everywhere" design I am not how well that will go.
Good luck with that. I can see iPhone apps scaling up for the iPad, but I expect the better made iPad apps to not be transferable to the iPhone.
Developers can either create new version of their iPhone app from scratch or a universal binary that can run on both version. For apps that uses navigations it is easy to create universal binary. However, I can see many cases where it is not a goo idea. For example, a word processing or a spreadsheet app will need to be done using new project file.
No one cares about iWorks. I want to be able to view and edit MS Office PowerPoint, excel, and word docs.
I'm not sure if they'll develop for the iPhone OS. I'm not aware of any MS apps in the App store.
I think the killer app for the iPad would be mobile Office.
No one cares about iWorks. I want to be able to view and edit MS Office PowerPoint, excel, and word docs.
I'm not sure if they'll develop for the iPhone OS. I'm not aware of any MS apps in the App store.
I was under the impression that iWorks apps can read MS Office files...
Correct me if I'm wrong.
How many Iphone developers (in percent) do you think will develop for the iPad?
I think the killer app for the iPad would be mobile Office.
No one cares about iWorks. I want to be able to view and edit MS Office PowerPoint, excel, and word docs.
I'm not sure if they'll develop for the iPhone OS. I'm not aware of any MS apps in the App store.
Bing App
I was under the impression that iWorks apps can read MS Office files...
Correct me if I'm wrong.
Actually, even without any iWork apps the iPad can open up .PPT, .XLS, .DOC and .DOCX files. You can only view them, not edit, but they will be viewable.
I'm guessing you'll need the iWork Keynote app for using the video-out presentation option for .PPT and .KEY apps.
I think the killer app for the iPad would be mobile Office.
No one cares about iWorks. I want to be able to view and edit MS Office PowerPoint, excel, and word docs.
I'm not sure if they'll develop for the iPhone OS. I'm not aware of any MS apps in the App store.
There's a couple by Microsoft in the App Store:
- Tag Reader
- Seadragon Mobile
The likely success of the iPad will bring more...
There's a couple by Microsoft in the App Store:
[...]
The likely success of the iPad will bring more...
Since MS doesn't have a true competitor to the iPad and since this will likely find a lot of use in a business setting I would expect that they are running the numbers for creating a version of MS Office for the iPad.
I'd like iPhone apps that can run on the iPad and iPad apps that don't run on the iPhone, if they can put both into one package to help sell the iPad I'm okay with that, but if it's a "write once run everywhere" design I am not how well that will go.
There are some difficulties with it. I imagine we'll have 4 classes of apps
1) iPhone apps (which the iPad can run)
2) iPhone apps with minor interface tweak for iPad (developer makes it look a bit better)
3) iPhone/iPad apps where the iPad interface is significantly different.
4) iPad apps which are just not practical on the iPhone.
I play Chess with Friends - I imagine they'll make a better looking interface for the iPad... roughly falling into #2 above. I use the Pocket Weather app - I can see them integrating weather radar into the iPad screen (instead of a link to it), and possibly tides too... probably falls into #3.
I agree with whoever said developers might need to charge differently for an iPad version to encourage them to customise the interface - and that would be a pity if I had to buy a separate iPad and iPhone version. Is there a way to get around this (could a "premium iPad interface" be an in-app purchase?)?