So, we’ve been playing around with a few of the javascript libraries floating around out there and have found some very cool ways of making a website look like a native iPhone app. We can now replicate most (if not all) of the transitions (swipes, fades, etc.), the button controls, and the general look and feel. We can even reach out through browser and call the native phone doo dads like the geolocator and velocimeter. In fact, if you add the site to your home screen, it would be hard to tell which are native iPhone apps, and which are iPhone-enabled websites.
The advantages of the app store are: 1) as a distribution/marketing channel, however as the number of applications in the app store slowly reaches the number of atoms in the universe, it’s becoming less compelling. 2) you can keep some data resident, meaning you can use an app without being connected. Especially important with the wifi-only versions of the iPad. As we approach an always-connected” state, this is also going to become less and less important. 3) you can charge for apps (and apple, imperfectly at best, gets some of the money back to you, again imperfectly)
The advantages of the website approach are: 1) you don’t have to deal with the app store’s approval process, sign up costs, and other headaches. 2) no download. Folks can just visit your site and have an iPhone/iPad-feeling experience without the interim step of visiting the store, and downloading.
We’re doing a lot of “pants and suspenders” projects where we develop both an iPhone enabled website AND a native application and we’re especially interested in how these two elements can work together.
Anyway, point your iPhone’s safari browser at the following sites and see what we mean. As always, comments welcomed.
www.cartcult.com
www.agavelab.com