Learn about the pros and cons of hybrid solutions for mobile apps from an experienced iOS app developer. This talk discusses my experiences leading the development of both a PhoneGap (Cordova) and Xamarin app for the iPad.

1. PHONEGAP AND XAMARIN
What an iOS Dev Learned About Hybrid Solutions
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June 6, 2013

2. ABOUT ME
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Tony Lenzi
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tony.lenzi@gmail.com
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@tonylenzi
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Technical Lead and iOS Developer

3. WHY HYBRID SOLUTIONS?
• RE-USE
• resources
• multi-platforms
• CHEAPER

4. Sounds a bit too good to be true, right?

5. PHONEGAP (CORDOVA)

6. CODE BREAKDOWN
• Lots
of JavaScript
• iPad
only - HTML may go up
with reuse
• Objective-C
used in
framework and plugins
JavaScript
HTML
CSS
OBJ-C

7. LESSONS LEARNED
• Uncanny Valley
• Design
and build an App
(not a web app/site)
• UIWebView
is not Safari
• Scrolling
• Plugins
• More
QA time needed

8. XAMARIN
framework formerly known as MonoTouch

9. HOW IT WORKS
• Write
C# in Xamarin Studio or
Visual Studio
• Views
(xibs) done in Interface
Builder
• C#
is compiled to ARM assembly
language to a library
• Black
box to implementor
• MonoTouch
iOS libs
libraries map 1:1 to

10. LESSONS LEARNED
• Pure
app performance
• Extended
QA
• Reuse
of business logic,
models
• $299
to $1899

11. SO ABOUT THOSE COST
SAVINGS . . .
• First
app - little savings to more expensive
• Design
• Lots
of QA with limited tooling
• How
• May
influences cost - remember uncanny valley
similar are apps on other platforms going to look?
save on maintenance if tackling more than one platform

13. CULTURE AND INVESTMENT
• Attitude
that Obj-C and native Android are a temporary
problem
• iOS
and Android are 2 different and important platforms
• Still
need to understand designing for and USING those
devices
• Removes
devs from platform optimization concerns

14. IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU...
IT’S ABOUT YOUR USERS
• User’s
app
have to trust your
• They
know when something
doesn’t feel quite right
• Good
apps are hard no
matter how you build them

15. QUESTIONS?