Official iPhone/iPod Touch WebApp Directory Coming?

MacRumors · Oct 10, 2007

Our readers have noted, and now several sites are reporting that it appears that Apple is gearing to launch an official iPhone Web Application directory.

AppleInsider believes such a directory may launch as early as today. Our readers, as well as 9to5mac, have submitted observations that Apple's recent download's RSS feed contains iPhone web applications and a link to a currently inactive portion of Apple's website: http://www.apple.com/webapps/

As the iPod Touch uses the same mobile Safari web browser as the iPhone, such a directory listing would be applicable to it as well.

Currently, Apple's supported and official method of developing 3rd party applications is via the Safari web browser. Unofficial native solutions have been derived as well and are still in the process of being updated for Apple's latest firmware release. Such solutions are not supported by Apple, but have proven to provide more features.

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Telp · Oct 10, 2007

I don't get how this is proof? Anyhing will take you to that part of the site with that error.

chr1s60 · Oct 10, 2007

I guess this would be something useful. I don't think there are any really great web apps out there so maybe this would direct me towards some if they exist.

longofest · Oct 10, 2007

chr1s60 said:
I guess this would be something useful. I don't think there are any really great web apps out there so maybe this would direct me towards some if they exist.

If you use facebook and go to it on your iPhone, they have a pretty nice interface for it.

Also, Meebo has a decent IM client that is web-based, but I still much prefer the native apps which are MUCH more feature complete.

mainstreetmark · Oct 10, 2007

This may make Apple take a more "official" approach to these so-called applications. As you guys know, they currently exist as bookmarks within Safari. What I might suggest is that the bookmarks feature of safari be given it's own icon, and moved to the home page of iPhone. Clicking on it exposes your safari webapp bookmarks in the same tile form as on the Home, each iconed with favicon, or something significant.

THEN I'd start to think about considering this whole "webapp" cop-out as worth while.

THE JUICEMAN · Oct 10, 2007

longofest said:
If you use facebook and go to it on your iPhone, they have a pretty nice interface for it.

Also, Meebo has a decent IM client that is web-based, but I still much prefer the native apps which are MUCH more feature complete.

I can second this. The iPhone Facebook web app is pretty nice. It allows you to do almost everything you can on the real website. It's also much faster than the real website(since we all have to use edge at some point

). It also does a good job of emulating the iPhone interface. I can't speak for Meebo because I don't ever IM anymore.

mainstreetmark said:
This may make Apple take a more "official" approach to these so-called applications. As you guys know, they currently exist as bookmarks within Safari. What I might suggest is that the bookmarks feature of safari be given it's own icon, and moved to the home page of iPhone. Clicking on it exposes your safari webapp bookmarks in the same tile form as on the Home, each iconed with favicon, or something significant.

THEN I'd start to think about considering this whole "webapp" cop-out as worth while.

This is a great idea. (Apple? Are you listening?)

earthsick · Oct 10, 2007

mainstreetmark said:
This may make Apple take a more "official" approach to these so-called applications. As you guys know, they currently exist as bookmarks within Safari. What I might suggest is that the bookmarks feature of safari be given it's own icon, and moved to the home page of iPhone. Clicking on it exposes your safari webapp bookmarks in the same tile form as on the Home, each iconed with favicon, or something significant.

THEN I'd start to think about considering this whole "webapp" cop-out as worth while.

I wouldnt mind this...other wise web apps just strike me as a way of making up for EDGE speeds, NOT the lack of 3rd party apps since most web apps are just dumbed down versions of normal web sites that load slowly on EDGE (IE facebook)

ross.32 · Oct 10, 2007

And maybe with some web apps working off-line they can put in more features to catch up to the native apps a little more?

mrrydogg · Oct 10, 2007

Telp said:
I don't get how this is proof? Anyhing will take you to that part of the site with that error.

Yes, anything you type after apple.com gives you that message. I think since there is a direct link to that site in the RSS feeds, they are putting two and two together.

Not too big of a stretch.

mainstreetmark · Oct 10, 2007

ross.32 said:
And maybe with some web apps working off-line they can put in more features to catch up to the native apps a little more?

a *very* little more. The web interface automatically excludes painting your own graphics, or generating your own sounds. While I'm sure you'll be able to link to a iPod song (you could in iPod's notes since at least 3G), I doubt you'll be able to get a list. I suppose it's feasable there's something like SQLite you can hook up to, but in the end, the web is no excuse for real applications.

(what if you're on an airplane! No custom apps at all?)

brasscat · Oct 10, 2007

mainstreetmark said:
This may make Apple take a more "official" approach to these so-called applications. As you guys know, they currently exist as bookmarks within Safari. What I might suggest is that the bookmarks feature of safari be given it's own icon, and moved to the home page of iPhone. Clicking on it exposes your safari webapp bookmarks in the same tile form as on the Home, each iconed with favicon, or something significant.

THEN I'd start to think about considering this whole "webapp" cop-out as worth while.

This is a good idea, but still not what I'd like to see with real applications. I wish apple would just wrap an extension for iPhone into xCode and be done with it.

P-Worm · Oct 10, 2007

I think this would be great. It would be awesome if Apple made an application that allowed you to access all of the applications quickly.

P-Worm

coolbreeze · Oct 10, 2007

Edit: Geez. Nevermind, didn't even read the post before replying.

zombitronic · Oct 11, 2007

I'm pretty sure that true offline WebApps (see Widgets) would have to be stored in a directory other than Safari bookmarks, such as a System/Widgets/ directory. Of course, many Widgets pull info off the internet, but this is info pulled into the app, not the app itself. I'll also bet that we'll see some kind of a home access button in a future iPhone update, maybe even a browser/installer.

Also, aren't most of the iPhone's native apps essentially Widgets, or offline WebApps? That's why I don't get the hate surrounding the idea of WebApps on the phone.

pedroistheman · Oct 11, 2007

mrrydogg said:
Yes, anything you type after apple.com gives you that message. I think since there is a direct link to that site in the RSS feeds, they are putting two and two together.

Not too big of a stretch.

It's actually up now.

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