Apple Posts Web Development Guidelines for iPhone

[MacRumors]

Apple posted Web Development guidelines for the iPhone.

Developers can create Web 2.0 applications that look and behave just like the applications built into iPhone, and provide seamless integration with iPhone applications and services including making a phone call, sending an email, and displaying a location in Google Maps. Third-party applications created using web standards can extend iPhone's capabilities without compromising its reliability or security.

The Guidelines are organized into:

• Understanding User-iPhone Interaction
• Use Standards and Tried-and True Design Practices
• Integrate with Phone, Mail and MAps
• Optimize for Page Readability
• Ensure a Great Audio and Video Experience
• Know What Safari Supports on iPhone
• Connect With Web Developers

A few web applications have already been released for the iPhone, but development has been very much by trial and error for these early iPhone applications.

[IEatApples]

Nice!

Still hoping for "real" apps though… (and the European iPhone)

[Yankees 4 Life]

hey I totally agree I love this idea it makes these web apps much better and less buggy

[Nyyark]

I hope that iLife's (or iWorks) next iWeb has a "develop for iPhone" template.

[Apple!Fre@k]

Originally Posted by Nyyark

I hope that iLife's (or iWorks) next iWeb has a "develop for iPhone" template.

That would be cool. What would be equally as cool is if Apple put iWeb on the iPhone by way of a software update. Then I could update my website wherever I am!

[cheesy]

it looks like this is basically what apple told the developers at WWDC. Of course that was all under NDA and i dint take notes, so its nice they have released this.

[MacsomJRR]

Very cool. Now mabye we'll finally start seeing some iPhone specific web games!

Being that I'm not a programmer and/or super duper savvy when it comes to the web compared to most of the folks on here I was wondering about something. Does anyone else thing that because Apple had to strike up a deal with a cellular company and thus give up being able to do a few things that they otherwise probably would've done (i.e. an iChat client or something similar) that they are going to get around any under the table agreements that they may have with AT&T by allowing developers to create web apps that fully take advantage of the iPhone's capabilities. Won't IM'ing be possible at some point thru iPhone's safari? Can't think of any other potential web ideas right now but there has got too be bajillions of them floating around out there.

[rog]

Apple is really blowing it with this. How am I supposed to use these apps on my commuter train which rarely has internet access, or on a plane? This is a the single biggest flaw with the iPhone. The web apps I've tried so far are pretty lame and no fun to use.

[Di9it8]

Originally Posted by Macrumors

• Connect With Web Developers

Surely this is what iPhone is waiting for now that NDA's are no longer in force

[JMax1]

Originally Posted by Apple!Fre@k

That would be cool. What would be equally as cool is if Apple put iWeb on the iPhone by way of a software update. Then I could update my website wherever I am!

Specifically blogs and other RSS type feeds too

[tominated]

I have been waiting for this for soo long

[nagromme]

I tested a whole bunch of sites on iPhone. They all rendered quite usably--and usually just like on the desktop. Flash and non-H.264 video (even QuickTime) do not appear. In fact even the QTVR movies on Apple.com don't play.

Frames don't act like on a Mac/PC, but they still worked fine in all the cases I tried. They do NOT work the same as on the iPhoney simulator.

[xelphy]

typing this on my iPhone , listen ... Get this thing. Edge is fine. I promise, just got it- don't sit on the fence forever , you'd miss out on pure joy

[nagromme]

BTW, has anyone noticed how popup menus in forms are handled on iPhone?

I just tried some at the Apple Store. They are too cool The whole way forms are handled is really nice, with Previous and Next (tab) buttons, and auto-zooming on each control as you go.

Long popup lists are actually easier to navigate that on a Mac with a mouse!

[bignumbers]

Originally Posted by rog

Apple is really blowing it with this. How am I supposed to use these apps on my commuter train which rarely has internet access, or on a plane? This is a the single biggest flaw with the iPhone. The web apps I've tried so far are pretty lame and no fun to use.

The lack of locally-stored "apps" (and data) is also my biggest frustration, but the more I learn the more I'm confident this will improve.

In Apple's web development document, they specifically mention (and link to) the emerging standards from WhatWG. This includes local data storage, which will allow "web apps" to not only run locally but also store data locally on the iPhone.

They may also be looking at Google Gears, another way of doing (sort of) the same thing.

Now that Apple has released the product and the documentation, the online "apps" will get better really fast. In time, they'll provide a mechanism for locally stored apps and data.

[Roller]

Originally Posted by rog

Apple is really blowing it with this. How am I supposed to use these apps on my commuter train which rarely has internet access, or on a plane? This is a the single biggest flaw with the iPhone. The web apps I've tried so far are pretty lame and no fun to use.

I think that this is a step in the right direction, but I agree that requiring an Internet connection for every third-party iPhone app is too restrictive, if only for the reason you cite.

[Yankees 4 Life]

Originally Posted by IEatApples

Nice!

Still hoping for "real" apps though… (and the European iPhone)

even though i said what i did b4, id kinda like real apps too...

[SpinThis!]

A couple new properties but nothing groundbreaking unveiled... too bad they don't have an event listener so when the phone is physically rotated, the developer could do something as well with the code. That would be cool.

Let's hope real apps come soon where we can tap Bluetooth, the accelerometer, etc.

[Random Ping]

Originally Posted by Nyyark

I hope that iLife's (or iWorks) next iWeb has a "develop for iPhone" template.

Interesting idea. One of the widely help beliefs for the delay in iLife 07 (and iWork 07) is that it is tied to Leopard-specific features. But this also makes a lot of sense. I hope it is true.

[Random Ping]

Originally Posted by bignumbers

The lack of locally-stored "apps" (and data) is also my biggest frustration, but the more I learn the more I'm confident this will improve.

I also agree that this is frustrating but will probably be resolved. Web-oriented applications have their place (and often may be the best choice), but having full-blown OS X applications running locally on the iPhone (and being able to store data locally) will be really nice.

[Rot'nApple]

Originally Posted by nagromme

I tested a whole bunch of sites on iPhone. They all rendered quite usably--and usually just like on the desktop. Flash and non-H.264 video (even QuickTime) do not appear. In fact even the QTVR movies on Apple.com don't play.

Frames don't act like on a Mac/PC, but they still worked fine in all the cases I tried. They do NOT work the same as on the iPhoney simulator.

I went to my local AT&T store and played with the display iPhone. I want one!!!

I checked out my homemade website and it is not a frameset from start to finish, but on several pages I used an inline frame to link to a website that has an associated database of products I sell so that I could keep the "feel" for my website along with it's navigation bar but allow prospects to view all those products and it pulled up those pages, as is, and all the links to all the products in that database works pretty well. Had me grinning ear to ear!

Now if I can find out from someone who has an iPhone in Norfolk/Virginia Beach, VA, area on just how well signal coverage is when in buildings and businesses or does the signal die off inside? If it works ok, in some places at least, I can quickly show prospects my website as opposed to saying "and visit my website to view all the products I can obtain for you" would be awesome, especially since I don't have a laptop and may still run into connectivity problems. or maybe not, not being a tech person.

In any event, luv the iPhone! Nice job Apple!

[Rot'nApple]

Originally Posted by nagromme

BTW, has anyone noticed how popup menus in forms are handled on iPhone?

I just tried some at the Apple Store. They are too cool The whole way forms are handled is really nice, with Previous and Next (tab) buttons, and auto-zooming on each control as you go.

Long popup lists are actually easier to navigate that on a Mac with a mouse!

I think I saw what you are talking about when I was tinkering with the display iPhone at my local AT&T store. Couldn't agree more with the "cool" factor but didn't test the forms I came across to any great extent but did witness briefly what the iPhone does when it comes to forms.

[Yankees 4 Life]

hey lets hope that we can really get some good web apps

[propynyl]

I have an iPhone, and it is amazing!
However it feels like a powerfull gadget that is not being used to its full potential.

Apple not opening the iPhone up to installable apps will hurt them in the long run

Users want to be able to customize their experience to suit their needs, and this web-app thing is a frusterating half-baked comprimise.

sucks apple...just sucks....

[dante@sisna.com]

Originally Posted by propynyl

I have an iPhone, and it is amazing!
However it feels like a powerfull gadget that is not being used to its full potential.

Apple not opening the iPhone up to installable apps will hurt them in the long run

Users want to be able to customize their experience to suit their needs, and this web-app thing is a frusterating half-baked comprimise.

sucks apple...just sucks....

Apple is just hooking us early iPhone Adopters (love mine), then they'll release a new App enabled phone in a year and we'll all trade up. They have the money machine.