iPhone Web Development Frenzy
As media and blog coverage of the iPhone release on Friday June 29 reaches boiling
point, web app providers are frantically pumping out versions of their apps for the
iPhone.
CRM provider Etelos - which has already embraced other popular Web platforms like Google Apps, Netvibes, Pageflakes and Windows Live - announced on its blog today an Etelos CRM suite of modularized CRM tools, for use on the iPhone. It already works on the Blackberry, but Etelos' Eric Berto says that "the browser for the iPhone is much better than the BlackBerry".
Another app to jump on the iPhone platform is Clippz.com, a service that lets you download "optimized video clips" from the Internet to a mobile device (a process it calls 'sideloading'). Clippz.com has announced it is offering more than 500 MySpace, Metacafe and YouTube collections encoded in Apple iPhone's H.264 file format.
It's still early days in terms of development. Indeed we covered last night Morfik's new development platform for web-based iPhone apps, the first of its kind. And expect a lot more action on this front, as Adobe AIR and Google Web Toolkit (GWT) are likely to be used to develop iPhone apps too.
last100 editor Steve O'Hear has been exploring the excitement around iPhone web apps. He recently spoke to web developer David Cann, who expressed concerns about iPhone's web app capabilities:
"“We’re in a ‘wait and see’ mode at this point [...] We don’t know much about how we can interact with the browser. For example, how will web pages interpret a user’s finger being dragged across the screen? Will they be able to detect when a user “pinch zooms” or get access to the phone’s local hard drive in order to upload files? The answer to these questions could seriously hinder the possibilities of third-party iPhone applications."
Check out last100 for more on that interview, plus some early examples of iPhone apps.
So we are still in the 'wait and see' period, but there is no shortage of activity happening amongst third party iPhone developers. There's even an iPhone app search engine, called AddFone.com, plus the excellent iPhone Application List. What iPhone apps have you seen that have tickled your interest and you can't wait to use?
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I can sure understand building consumer based applications but I just can't see the enterprise take up the iphone as a business device. I'd be interested to know if anyone thinks we'll be seeing execs using iphones in the business?
Hey Richard,
I also did a round-up of the iPhone euphoria:
http://www.mappingtheweb.com/2007/06/27/evidence-of-the-iphone-euphoria/
Coverage has been phenomenal. I am still amazed by the constant spotlight attention...
Cheers,
Aidan
www.MappingTheWeb.com
Simon, I am not sure that iPhones will be less desirable than Blackberry's to the Enterprise. The Exec. and outside sales teams seem to be ideal for browser-based apps that get them their data. Why not? I have been using a Blackberry for years and ready to try something new. I would love to get at my data from a smaller device than a laptop. But I may be the exception to the rule.
Awesome! Now, for those who don't haves one, some tips: http://thenewsroom.com/details/435179?c_id=wom-bc-js
I'd be surprised if there was a lot of take-up in the enterprise, simply because Apple doesn't market its products so much to the enterprise - whereas Blackberry does. But I agree that the functionality of the device suggests it could be a useful enterprise device.
Dan, I hear you, I started using a Nokia E61i about three weeks ago, as a result I've reduced my laptop usage by about 80%.
The nokia has good email integration, 3G, Wireless LAN and an excellent browser which is strong enough to handle access into apps such as dabbledb.
We did a quick try this week end and while the iPhone does not have autofocus, its camera module is good enough to produce decent qipit copies.
We have therefore the pleasure to confirm that the iPhone is Qipit compatible.
-- Phil DEWOST
Qipit, Inc.
If you want to sync your contacts from Outlook, Thunderbird, Evolution or your old phone and see them on the iPhone, you should try the myFUNAMBOL portal.
http://www.funambol.com/myfunambol.html
There are already a number of so-called iPhone applications in beta stages that you can test on supported browsers like Safari, IE7 and Firefox
www.mp4-converter.net/iphone-converter/dvd-to-iphone/
http://uphonehome.com
uPhoneHome - a Home for iPhone.
has large icon images of all the top iphone apps available right now.
I made an iPhone app that lets you view Facebook here:
http://facebook.thenaterix.com/
I just wish there was one standard across the board for mobile devices or that all devices that view the web (mobile or otherwise) conform to these standards so I dont have to have iexplore/firefox/safari/opera/iphone/wap versions of pages to make them look correct.