Tiny Shiny Apps – iPhone and iPad App Development

The year 2010 saw massive changes with updates to the iPhone, the introduction of the iPad and the rebranding of iPhone OS as iOS. The year 2011 could bring just as many changes.

Mac App Store

The Mac App Store opened for business on Jan 6th 2011 and did one million downloads in the first day.

It introduces the simplicity of software application management seen on the iPhone and iPad, to the Mac. The Mac App Store is very familiar to users of iTunes and the App Store. The same Apple iTunes account can be be used for payment. Updates for purchased applications are highlighted when available. It provides such a great experience that many will be left wondering why it hasn’t always been like this.

The Apple Slice

Apple takes a slice of every pie and the same 30% payment applied in the App Store is applied in the Mac App Store. The trade-off of a much larger ready made market for your software is at the cost of reduced margin.

Application Migration

In the same way that many apps migrated from iPhone to iPad, many more will migrate their way over to the Mac. The migration from iPhone or iPad to Mac is not straightforward as the iOS components will need to be replaced with MacOSX components. Though this mass migration strengthens the Mac as a important development platform.

Meanwhile, the App Store is on track to overtake iTunes in sales in 2011. The App Store will reach the 10 billion mark in less than half the time it took the iTunes to reach that total.

iPad 2

An iPad announcement is expected in February 2011 to announce an updated iPad to be released in April. There is speculation around front and rear cameras for FaceTime. Improved hardware is expected in an updated Apple A4 chip with a graphics core supporting Retina Display and potential 1080p HD support.

The product has proven massively popular with sales of approx 12 million in 2010 and forecasts of 20 million in 2011. With an average of 60 apps downloaded on each iOS device this is a growing opportunity for app sales.

iPhone 5

Expect an announcement in June 2011 and for the device to be shipping shortly afterwards. Improved hardware including the new A5 chip and more memory are being predicted.

2011 Summary

Apps are here to stay. 2011 will see further growth in the availability of iOS devices with millions of customers keen to download some tiny shiny apps.

Attending NSConference in February 2010 was a great opportunity to meet other iPhone developers. The event organised by The Mac Developer Network is in its second year. The UK event was held in Reading and this year there is sister event in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

I attended the iPhone Developer Conference on day four when many of the attendees were starting to struggle with information overload and lack of sleep. The sessions were varied and included a talk about considering the user, a overview of the design process for a game app using Core Animation and tech talks delving into Open GL ES and Data Syncing.

The lunchtime break was handed over to delegates with opinions or products to share and proved an interesting diversion.

One aim of the conference was to encourage community and the breaks in between sessions were ideal for meeting fellow developers. There was much speculation and talk of the impending arrival of the iPad. There was way too much try and cram into one day so next year, I’ll be there for the full 4 day duration.

Twitter updates from the event were tagged #nsconf. Follow Tiny Shiny Apps at @tinyshinyapps.

The announcement of the iPad as “magical and revolutionary” brings great opportunities for content creators to extend their audience.

All iPhone apps are compatible with the iPad. The app experience on the iPad will show iPhone apps at twice the size. That means that your existing iPhone app is compatible with this new device with no updates necessary. As soon as the iPad is released, your existing apps can be downloaded and used.

While scaling up from the iPhone to the iPad is simple it will still always be necessary to design for mobile with the iPhone. Even though there are certain design restrictions on the iPad, the size of the iPhone will always require extra consideration in the design process. As the multi-touch interface of the large iPad screen allows more possibilities, iPhone apps will continue to operate within certain constraints.

The assortment of products and services (TapLynx, AppMakr, iSites) which allow you to repackage your content for the iPhone may not be necessary for the iPad as it offers a full web browsing experience on its 9.7″ screen. While an iPhone app may provide a convenient shortcut to your content on the iPad, viewing your web site in Safari may offer a better experience.

If you would like discuss the possibilities of offering your content on the iPhone or iPad, please contact us.

Northern Film and Media (Regional Screen Agency for the North East of England) is investing up to £40K is iPad applications.

The scheme is looking to find uses for the iPad which were not possible on the iPhone and provide a showcase for the new ideas. The scheme is open to project teams with 70% of the team being from the North East of England. The app idea also must be revenue generating and ready for release by summer 2010. Grants of between £1K and £10K will be offered.

Tom Harvey, Chief Executive of Northern Film & Media, said: “We want the North East to have a place in the rapidly evolving global content market. We will do whatever it takes to ensure that North East companies have every opportunity to get their products developed, made, distributed and bought on whatever new platforms come along. Whatever we can do to help our companies get to the front of the queue, we will do.”

For more details on application criteria, Northern Film & Media launch £40k Apple iPad Fund.

Via: ReadWriteWeb and Walker Fenton