iOS, News/Rumors

iOS 6 Apps Tips for Developers

As officially announced and in some cases speculated, in September Apple will come with a lot of goodies that are already carrying both users and developers of their feet. The sixth-gen iPhone with a faster and a cutting-edge processor, a larger display, and more powerful graphics, iOS 6 with NFC, iWallet, a revolutionary payments system, new maps, and Facebook integration are only few of the surprises to challenge the developers.

Fellows at Fueled shared some iOS 6 app ideas to prepare other eager developers for the new technical era that will begin in about three weeks.

  • With Google out of the picture, the same will happen with Google Maps and YouTube. The latest iOS 6 Beta version released does not include YouTube anymore, thus, developers should be prepared to develop a YouTube app for iOS 6.

  • As announced at WWDC, Apple will add Bluetooth sharing to iOS 6. This widens the horizons, giving to developers the options to integrate this feature in their apps in order to make them work better, especially when it comes to photo and video sharing apps. Moreover, if we are to add the Facebook integration, too, making apps will definitely come to a new dimension.

  • The fact that Apple was granted with iWallet patents and that it bought AuthenTec, a company that produces chips for fingerprint recognition and NFC, cannot but to inform us that iPhone 5 will come with NFC and with a mobile payments system. As Fueled suggests, this should make developers think of making a gaming app that allows players to exchange items or tokens.
  • Last but not least, it is confirmed by lots of leaked parts that the new iPhone will have a larger screen, involving thus a more powerful processor and advanced graphics. This being the situation, gaming on iPhones will be the next big thing about the iPhone 5, leaving aside the camera. The Retina Display on the new MacBook Pro was and still is a truly challenge for developers, but the Retina Display on an iPhone should be nothing but fun.

These are the options, so developers, get prepared!

iOS, News/Rumors

iOS 6 Beta 4 is now available for Developers

It seems that after 3 weeks of the latest release of iOS beta 3, Apple has provided a new beta version for developers. The update comes as built 10A5376e, being available for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch 4th generation, iPad2 and the new iPad.

Developers could get full advantage of the beta update through Over the Air. Other releases that are worth taking a glance are Xcode beta and Apple TV iOS 6 beta. The operating system update focuses especially on bug fixes and performance amplification.

Apple users are waiting eagerly for the release of iOS 6 this fall, expected to be launched with the latest generation of iPhone. 200 new features will be possible with iOS 6, some of them being Facebook Integration, Google Maps, Do Not Disturb, Lost Mode, 3D Flyover and so on and so forth. 

9to5Mac has provided bug fixes and some new features of the new updates, namely Address Book, Apple TV, Dictionary, Game Center, iTunes, iCloud, Location, Maps, Newsstand and Passbook etc.

Source: 9to5Mac

Mac

The Last OS X Mountain Lion Update Released for Developers

Apple has announced at this years’ WWDC a new OS X with hundreds of new features, including Power Nap, AirPlay Mirroring, and Game Center and other technical goodies, such as Messages and Twitter instead of iChat, deeper iCloud integration, Reminder, Notes and Notification Center.

The wait for the developers stopped on Monday, when Apple released the final update of Mountain Lion 10.8, called Gold Master. The Golden version is the same with the version that will be released to public, except few technical issues and tweaks. Yet, unlike the developers who can download it anytime, Mac users will have to wait until the end of July, when they will have the possibility to buy the upgrade for $19.99.

Taking into account the release of the previous OS X version, we can expect that the Gold Master version will be released by the same time. Apple released OS X 10.7 on July 24, last summer, one day after the earnings announcement, thus, Mac users should be prepared to get their hands on Mountain Lion 10.8 in few weeks.

Source: Mashable

iCloud, News/Rumors

Apple Updated iCloud Website for Developers

Apple launched a new iCloud beta website for iOS and OS X developers; it features a new Find my iPhone, an updated Calendar, and Notes and Reminders app versions for the Web. All the registered developers can access the new beta version at beta.icloud.com.

The Notes in the beta version look like the Notes app on iPad and on Mountain Lion. The app has the same yellow sheet of paper, the same fonts and the same possibility to ransack for a certain note through the entire collection via Search.

The Notes web app goes hand in hand with the new Reminders web app, allowing users to create various lists of date and time reminders that are completed with a note. The Reminders app, too, looks similar to the app on iOS and Mountain Lion.

On the other hand, the Find my iPhone app is entirely revamped: it has a new design and it includes a Lost Mode. The Notifications settings also changed in both Find my iPhone and Calendar apps.

The iCloud.com beta version was launched yesterday and no other details concerning the official release date were given.

Source: 9to5 Mac

Mac, News/Rumors

The New MacBook Pro’s Retina Display as the Gratest Challenge for Developers

When Apple released the new iPad all developers were eager to improve their apps in order to support the revolutionary Retina Display. But developing for the new MacBook Pro’s OS X seems to be more challenging than developing for iOS.

The smooth, high-resolution display on the new MacBook Pro may give developers a rough time due a tough issue: how are they going to create a program that works and looks great both on Retina Display and on other screens?

First of all, there are the graphics and the text rendering. The Web is significantly larger than the small iOS, thus, also the Web browsers are plenty compared to those on mobile devices. Figuring out a solution for flawless graphics displaying on a wider and more powerful desktop screen, taking into consideration the diversified Web without leaving behind the other displays is the first and the toughest problem.

Also, bigger graphics require augmented page loading time. Therefore developers should find a way to equilibrate such impact.

Fueled Director Ryan Matzner, said that both developers and Web designers may handle graphics by delivering different CSS stylesheets to different browsers. Michael Gadsby, creative director at O3 World, said that developers here have already begun creating multiple stylesheets of graphics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFIHewtEuJQ&feature=g-all-u

Source: ReadWriteWeb

Apple

Apple widens the apps area leaving Android behind

The Android platform fragmentation determined many developers to change their perspectives, switching from the Google market to iOS.

Android got familiar with success when the collaboration with HTC started years ago, but once with Samsung’s Nexus smartphones, Google brought Android to its boom. However, Android is currently facing a hitch that might make it get familiar also with the crash: Apple’s ascendancy on the new applications area.

According to Flurry, the company that makes research on mobile software, this January was made three times more apps for iOS than for Android.

“Apple has more than 550,000 apps in its store, compared with over 400,000 for Google’s Android Market. Both companies count on the array of apps to make their phones more enticing and lock in consumers who are already using the devices.” – stated Bloomberg’s article.

The reason for which developers migrate to iOS is that they can make more money producing for this platform. In contrast with Android, the apps for Apple are easier to develop thus, the money come faster.

The iTunes system comes in handy for developers and also for users, because the owners’ credit card accounts are permanently stored, making the charging easier than on Android.

Time is also an important decision agent. There are 90 Android app stores while Apple has only one. Submitting software to multiple stores takes more time.

Still, analyzing the depth of this situation an interesting conclusion is brought to light: developers choose iOS in the short term to get hold of money in a hasty way, because Apple makes it easy for them, but in the long term developers stick to Android and appreciate it as a valuable source of revenue.

Source: Bloomberg