iPhone App Dev
Overview for Vietnamese coders
Huy @ multinc.com
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Warning !
This presentation may contain information on
unethical activities, possibly illegal in certain
jurisdictions.
Listen & act at your own risk.
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Note about Demos
This presentation makes significant use of live
demos, which are not included in the slides.
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Why this talk?
Global opportunity
Few coders in Vietnam
iPhone leads the mobile future
The entire process is quite complex
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Outline
Part 1 - getting ready
Part 2 - designing
Part 3 - coding
Part 4 - releasing
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Get ready
Part 1
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Which dev device?
iPhone iPhone iPhone iPod
3GS 3G 2G Touch
App Store,
multitouch, Yes Yes Yes Yes
accelerometer
cellular data,
Yes Yes Yes
camera
GPS, 3G data Yes Yes
video, autofocus,
compass, more Yes
speed & RAM
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Getting a dev device
Choices:
1. iPhone 3GS ($589 new in US)
2.iPhone 3G/2G (3G $300 on US craigslist)
3.iPod Touch (about $160 on US craigslist)
4.iPhone Simulator (free)
Alternative: test at MultiNC in Q.1 (free++)
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Apple restrictions
Phone: any carrier Unlocked iPhone or iTouch
Any web apps iPhone or iTouch
App Store apps iPhone or iTouch
Any apps Jailbroken iPhone or iTouch
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Shhh...
jailbreaking device
PRO: required for software unlock
PRO: install any app
PRO: dev tools
PRO: access to private APIs
CON: have to wait for updates
http://iphone-dev.org
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SDK requirements
Choice of computer:
1. Mac
CON: expensive
2.PC with “Hackintosh”, “OSX86”
CON: time-consuming, maybe not possible,
not legal
Alternative: open-source toolchain
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Mac
Macbook 2.4GHz is fine - $800 on US
craigslist
Mac Mini 2GHz should be fine - $500? on US
craigslist
4GB of RAM is cheap
Speed bottleneck is not building -- it’s
transferring to device
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Hackintossshhh...
New PC
Choose carefully
http://osx86.org
Existing PC
Desktop - may need to buy video card
Notebook - may need to buy Wi-Fi, maybe
not possible
AMD - forget it
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Learning to code
Lots of books
Apple’s extensive documentation
Stanford CS193p course
-> Google [stanford iphone]
Upcoming MultiUni courses
http://multiuni.org
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iPhone Dev Program
Why?
To test on non-jailbroken devices
To release to App Store
How much? $99 per year
Workarounds?
Test/deploy on jailbroken devices
Share certs with other coders
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DEMO: iPhone Dev Program
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Design
Part 2
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Why design?
To sell more
To avoid rejection from the App Store
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Design Resources
Guides
Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines (HIG)
Stencils
http://theresaneil.wordpress.com/2009/09/16/iphone3g-
design-resources/
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Design Worflow
Common:
TapTapTap’s process:
Iterate UI design with a graphic designer
http://www.taptaptap.com/blog/the-design-session/
If remote, use Skitch
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Design Process
Iterate:
DEMO: Convert design evolution
http://www.taptaptap.com/blog/convert-design-
evolution/
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Type of app
Web app
PRO: no approval needed
CON: requires net, slower response, no
games
Native app
App Store vs. jailbroken
more later during Release part...
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Code
Part 3
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Web App
Toolkits
DEMO: jQTouch
iui
The rest of this talk is about native apps
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Languages & Tools
Objective-C -> XCode
Alternatives:
Javascript/HTML -> Appcelerator Titanium,
PhoneGap, Ansca Corona (good for games)
careful, Apple hates Phonegap
Ruby -> Rhodes Rhomobile
.NET -> MonoTouch
others...
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Objective-C
Superset of C, can be mixed with C, C++
Distinctions
Message-passing for method calls
Alloc/release/autorealease
Categories
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Set up Xcode
DEMO
Files, targets, configurations
Layered settings: project vs. target
GCC
Set up warnings
Subversion (but consider Git)
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Interface Builder
Not required, can be done programatically
But rapid prototyping of views
DEMO
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Code structure
DEMO of simple app
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iPhone Simulator
iPhone Simulator
Missing: location, many preferences,
multi-touch (has pinch)
iSimulate
Multi-touch
Accelerometer
Location/GPS
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Coding style
Apple’s coding guidelines for Cocoa
Google’s Objective-C Style Guide
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Debugging
NSLog
UIAlertView
NOTE: popups are stacked
Debugger
DEMO
NSZombieEnabled
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Running static analyzer
Choices:
Download LLVM/CLang Static Analyzer
Bundled in Xcode 3.2 (OS X 10.6)
DEMO
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Running Xcode Leaks
DEMO
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Deploying for testing
Distribution choices:
a) collect devices’ UDIDs & distribute Ad Hoc
b)share your certificates
c) jailbroken phones don’t require signing
IMPORTANT: keep copy of .dSYM files
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Beta testing
Collect console logs using iPhone
Configuration Utility
Collect console logs and user data using
Flurry or others
Collect crash logs from users
Users need to sync and find files on Mac
Analyze using symbolicate and .dSYM files
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Release
Part 4
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Release to App Store
PRO: Easier access, greater exposure
PRO: Apple handles billing, gives you 70%
CON: infamous App Store approval process
(weeks or months, possibly never)
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Release to Cydia Store
(jailbroken devices)
PRO: No approval needed
PRO: Unique markets, especially Vietnam
PRO: Access to more functionality
CON: Smaller market, exposure
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App Store rejection
examples
Bugs
Private APIs
Downloaded code
Non-working test account
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App Store rejection
examples
Bad design (e.g. deselected tableview); re-
using system icons; connectivity handling;
feature-limited
Excess vibration, bandwidth
Uploading user data without warning
But exceptions: “Don’t ask, don’t tell”
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App Store rejection
examples
Objectional content, e.g. Me So Holy, Baby
Shaker, StarTime, Eucalyptus, Ninjawords,
NIN
Competing with Apple & carriers, e.g. Google
Voice & Skype
Trademark, e.g. iPhone icon & name, Polaroid
Icons that match, icons that don’t match
Bad descriptions (“dragons”, competitor
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Marketing
App Store ranking
Online reviews, Public Relations
Video demos, using iSimulate
Word-of-mouth
Excellence -> Apple featured, marketing
Free “lite” version
Pricing strategy
Appirater?
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TapTapTap’s advertising
of “Where To”
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What kind of apps?
Utility, productivity
Business?
Careful because officially not allowed
Casual games, e.g. Pee monkey
Arcade games, e.g. Meteor Blitz
DEMO: Meteor Blitz video demo
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Retire rich
Part 5
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What now?
Get a Mac/Hackintosh
Download the SDK
Learn from Stanford course, MultiUni
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Free 6-day course:
Intro to iPhone &
Objective-C
Go to http://multiuni.org/ for details
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