iPhone to support Web 2.0 Apps

Natobasso · #1 June 11th, 2007, 02:15 PM

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/070611/aqm134.html?.v=3

More apple press here:
http://www.apple.com/pr/

**fryke** · #2 June 11th, 2007, 04:12 PM

Web 2.0 apps (or AJAX apps) are better than no 3rd party apps, but basically, this is still nothing. It means that no, I can't have a 3rd party text editor that works when I'm not connected. I don't want to stop working on a text when the train's in a tunnel. :/ ... Bit sad, I guess... :/ Although it might jumpstart the web-apps business.

Ceroc Addict · #3 June 11th, 2007, 10:59 PM

SJ stands in front of his main developer's conference - where he regularly mouths "Thank you all for the amazing contributions you're making to the Mac" - and says "Here's this brand new platform, with a full OS, but no sdk for you".

If I'd been there, I'd have booed him off the stage.

PGTips · #4 June 12th, 2007, 01:41 AM

I'm not familiar with AJAX, but would it be possible if Apple decided to allow the iPhone "bundle" some AJAX sites, i.e. download the whole thing in the background so that the site works like an application residing on the iPhone itself?

Lt Major Burns · #5 June 12th, 2007, 02:21 AM

aren't they just going to be advanced widgets? just because they have to run in a safari framework, do they have to use safari's UI?

**fryke** · #6 June 12th, 2007, 06:03 AM

Yes, they run _within_ Safari. If you want to use them, you have to go to Safari and then enter the URL or choose a bookmark with their URL. "Sandboxed" is the term Jobs was using, I believe.

While I think some people will do great little (and big) apps for the iPhone this way, it's just not the same thing as real applications residing on the phone. If you want to work in a place where you're not allowed to be connected or simply don't have access to the 'net (planes, caves, trains in tunnels etc.), you don't have access to those applications. Now... Of course we're all connected to the 'net at almost all times - and increasingly so - but it just doesn't feel right.

Jobs says this is about stability. How 3rd party apps are wreaking havoc on mobile platforms like Palm OS, Windows CE (and descendants), Series 60 and so on. But I have to say two things to this:

1.) It'd be _your job_ to make sure that 3rd party apps couldn't crash the phone. OS X is a great platform, right? Stable and secure and all. They could've made restrictions for an SDK and make it work.

2.) These things run in *Safari*. Safari is not the app that never crashes. It's one of the apps that crash _most_ on my computers! Sure, it doesn't take down the whole _system_, but if I work on documents in such a web app, run calculations, organise my life etc., I don't want those apps' sandbox to crash and burn...
Just think about it: Where's is the access point for most attacks over the internet today? It's the browsers. If anything, they should've made sure 3rd party apps were _not_ connected to Safari in any other way than they could link to URLs that would open in Safari.

Natobasso · #7 June 12th, 2007, 11:18 AM

Jobs has to offer 3rd party participation while simultaneously trying to sidestep Cingular/ATT's wish that this NOT happen due to opening the system up to hackers (which happens regardless).

andyhargreaves · #8 June 14th, 2007, 12:08 PM

I think the carrier might be more responsible for this than we think - forcing users to use Web 2.0 apps means forcing them onto GPRS networks when away from WiFi hotspots. And one way or another, GPRS usage = $$£££$$$££ for the carriers. Also, I fear GPRS will be tooooo slow for these types of apps - hope they've implemented 3G when the UK version appears. The other possibility is Apple deploying apps they think will be useful for us through the ITMS, even charging for them.

Oooh, I'm feeling skeptical tonight

Andy