Ok, i have a million things to do tonight but no time to do them, so rather then a good old fashioned google search could anyone tell me the basics of a few things...

 

I'm interested in Apps at the moment, mainly Apple Device related ones. Now iPhones, Touchs and Pads i don't really like however i know you have to follow the market sometimes when you like it or not.

 

My questions (answer in basic or detail, presume i have no knowledge at all if you like):

 

1. 
    
   
2. What are app's built in? (what markup, tools, cost of tools?)
   
3. What is a 'web' app, is it like an app, only hosted online or is it a web page built to look like an app?
   
4. What do most app makers have background in? (where have they come from to be able to create apps now?)
   

 

I'm hoping one of you kind people will be able to answer these questions in just enough detail to save me some time tonight!

 

Thank you ever so much in advance!

 

Daz

[*]What are app's built in? (what markup, tools, cost of tools?)

Apple's own IDE (XCode) - take a look.

To be an Apple developer selling apps it costs $99/yr (I think!). The actual development software is all free, surprisingly.

 

[*]What is a 'web' app, is it like an app, only hosted online or is it a web page built to look like an app?

The latter is my understanding of the term. YouTube is a 'web app' now if you visit it in Safari on your iPhone/iPod.

 

[*]What do most app makers have background in? (where have they come from to be able to create apps now?)

OOP I would have said.

The markup is objective c. Like andyl said, you use xcode with iPhone SDK.

 

The term web app, is used quite loosely. Some people refer to it as a formatted website for mobile devices. However it can be used for so much more. Many of the apple API's can be used, you can create an icon, startup image, remove the safari toolbars.

Many of the apple API's can be used, you can create an icon, startup image, remove the safari toolbars.

 

You just made me sit up and listen with that there sentence! By using Apples API that way, does that mean you don't need the App Developer license?

 

Also, (I'm not familiar with itunes/app store etc) can you not just get the Tools, create apps and then NOT give them away via apple?? Or does everything have to go through apple to get onto the phones?

The API's are used to interact with the hardware on the iPhone. The license allows you to sell apps on the store.

 

To create web apps, you do not need a license. But web apps do not appear on the app store. People need to browse to the site, and can then add the app to their homescreen

 

You can create native apps (objective c) without a license, but you can't sell them on the app store until you buy the license. Of course you can jailbreak your phone and test it on that, but otherwise you are limited to the simulator.

So to confirm, if i was developing free apps i could offer the download of them from my own servers and would not need to pay the license fee?

I think I may have confused you.

 

Not sure if you have an iPhone, but here goes:

 

On the iPhone, when most people refer to apps, they mean the "programs" that they download from the app store. This is the only place where you can install apps from. There are no third party servers. Whether or not your app is free, to submit an application to the store, you have to have a license which is $99 a year.

 

There is something called a web app. This is similar to an app, but there is no store, the API's are more restricted. You wont get as many people using your app. There is no installation as such. It is basically a website, which people browse to.

I think I may have confused you.

 

Not sure if you have an iPhone, but here goes:

 

On the iPhone, when most people refer to apps, they mean the "programs" that they download from the app store. This is the only place where you can install apps from. There are no third party servers. Whether or not your app is free, to submit an application to the store, you have to have a license which is $99 a year.

 

There is something called a web app. This is similar to an app, but there is no store, the API's are more restricted. You wont get as many people using your app. There is no installation as such. It is basically a website, which people browse to.

 

Totally understand! You've pointed me in the right direction here now.

 

I don't have an iPhone, no, i very very very rarely see something on an Apple Device i think is worth forking the money out for however my other half has both iPhone and iPod Touch and knowing just how popular they are want to jump on the app band wagon.

 

$99 isn't to bad, that's about £60... but when it comes to developers offering bespoke apps, I'm going to guess that's where the prices sky rocket?

What do you mean by bespoke apps?

What do you mean by bespoke apps?

 

 

Well, my own research pulled up a few companies who offer template apps. For example one guy wanted £500 to reskin an radio streaming app where as i was looking more along the lines of streaming the station but also getting news updates and other features built in.

 

Are app developers a rare and expensive bread to hire?

Tbh I don't know the market. Looked into what it takes to create your own apps, but I don't plan on creating apps for others. Sorry can't help you there.

I think as with web design there will be those who market their services at a lower price, but don't expect rock-bottom as there are fewer app developers so they generally can demand a premium

asek, thanks mate, you summed up all my questions really!