Hi, I have, thanks to Buzztouch and the wonderful members of this forum, learned to create android apps. I'd like to learn iOS apps, next. I know nothing about Apple devices so please forgive the questions I am about to ask. I will need to be able to download apps from the the Apple App Market. I am wondering which device to get to do this on. Would a fairly old iPhone do, like an iphone 3gs? Could I use an ipod touch to view apps? Would the apps look and function differently than on a phone? Finally, would an iPad be an option? Again, would the apps look and function differently than on a phone? I would be most grateful for your advice and thoughts. Kind regards, John

iPad will look different due to the larger screen. You can use any device - iPod touch, iPhone, or iPad to preview, or the emulator from Xcode. If cost is a factor and you want one device, you can get an older iPhone or iPod cheap. If not, iPads are pretty awesome. You just have to compile the app on an Intel based Mac.

Thanks Daniel. That's brilliant. I'd rather avoid another phone, if possible. So the iPod Touch might be the easiest way forward if it looks and works the same as on an iPhone. However, I still need to be able to compile the app, as you say. Could I do this on an iPad? Is it possible to outsource compiling the app? Is that a risky thing to do? Or is there another way of doing it? Kind regards, John

Hi John, You have to use Xcode to compile your app, and that only runs on Mac OS. To stay within the Apple TOS, the only real solution is to use an Apple computer or laptop. Xcode won't run on an iPad or iPhone. You could outsource the compiling of the app, but you run into lots of issues there regarding certificates and such. I solved the problem by buying a used, Intel-based Mac mini off Craigslist. Cost me $200 to get into the app development game! Here's a doc that outlines what you need: http://www.buzztouch.com/resources/Things_You_Need_Before_You_Start_Developing_Apps_v1.0.pdf Hope this helps! Mark

Those mac minis are awesome. I got an older MacBook on eBay for about $250, I can take it on the go and use a big monitor when I want to. John, just make sure you read that doc about system requirements, and do NOT get an older power pc based Mac.

Thank you Mark and Daniel. The mists have cleared and I understand what I need to do. Honestly, I cannot thank you guys enough! Kind regards, John

Hi Mr Higgey, If you already own an iPhone 3GS, the best option would be to buy an iPad. Daniel LaRusso is right, iPad will look different due to the larger screen, but there's one more thing: if you create a plain iPhone app, on the iPad it will display approx. at iPhone size, with a zoom function. A zoomed app will look ugly, and without zoom the user will not benefit of the iPad size. But the magic of BT is that you may create 'universal' apps, that may display quite differently according to the iDevice used. As if you have 2 different apps, imagine that! So the ultimate solution definitely is iPhone (min. 3GS, but better with 4) AND iPad! And by the way... I don't know how any app looks on iPod Touch (probably like on an iPhone), but I see on my 'normal website' server log that there are very few people using iPod Touch... I have some 10-12% visits with iOS, of which two thirds use an iPad. Have a nice day!

Hi Fusionsch, That's great information - thank you. Two thirds use an iPad? Very interesting to know. Thanks for your advice. John

You're welcome! Caution: these figures may be quite different in other parts of the world... We are in Switzerland (where many people use iOS) and half of the visitors of our website are locals... Just to be more precise... In Switzerland, some 69% of mobile users were on iOS last May, but in UK some 43% only... As for the iPhone/iPad proportion, I have figures only for our own website... Other Swiss websites may have different proportions, I guess... Maybe we have so many iPad users because our latest apps are universal (our figures include contents displayed in apps via our webservices). Best greetings Jack