Tips for newbie iPhone Developers

Useful Pointers for Amateur Developers on iPhone App Development

Creating an app for the iPhone can be an extremely complex task to accomplish. This process can get especially overwhelming for newbie iPhone developers, who are struggling to get a grip with developing apps for the iPhone. iPhone app development requires you to tackle several aspects simultaneously, including the usability factor, testing, debugging and so on.

Here are some useful tips for the newbie iPhone developer:

Native Apps or Web Apps?

A native app is that which is installed directly on the iPhone. Native apps work with the device’s own built-in features, thereby assuring you of a much smoother app development experience. In case you are looking at developing a responsive, high-performance app or an app that involves graphics, you would do well to master Objective-C and create a native app.

On the other hand, if you want to create something simple, such as a mobile-friendly version of your Website, you can think of creating a Web app. Needless to say, it also pays to develop a native app and then create a Web app around it.

You will do well to imitate a native app while actually creating a Web app. This makes it easier for you to develop your Web app, while also creating a familiar environment for the iPhone user, who is already conversant with the device’s ways of working.

The Viewport

While most Web pages would be compatible with the size of the iPhone screen, it would still be better to ensure that your page is displayed most optimally on the iPhone. Defining this function is what tells the browser to scale your page in the best possible way for the iPhone screen. You may also consider allowing the user to pinch or double-tap the screen in order to zoom in or zoom out the page.
The viewport is what makes your Web app completely compatible with the Apple iPhone. Hence, it is absolutely necessary to define this aspect right in the very beginning.

The Address Bar

The address bar on the browser takes up considerable space on the limited real estate of the iPhone screen. In order to gain a little more space on the screen, you could hide the address bar, thus helping you display that much more information on the screen. Of course, hiding the address bar permanently is not very helpful either. Ideally, you should see to it that the address bar remains hidden while the user scrolls through the search list. It can come up again once he or she has stopped scrolling.

Use Vertical Lists

Using lists is a great way to display information, especially when you are giving the user multiple choices of action. Lists enable the user to navigate the menu with ease, while also loading faster and making the screen look a lot tidier and much more engaging.

Also, note that using vertical lists is always better than using horizontal lists. Creating a horizontal list is a far more complex process and would require more loading time, requiring you to redirect too many pages, linking each one to the main page.

Keep it Simple

Remember to keep the first version of app simple and fast. A basic app lets you work with ease, putting in just the effort that it requires and no more. It also loads faster and performs better, thus encouraging users to come back to your app. Once you are more familiar with the entire process, you can go ahead to add newer features in each subsequent release of your app.

Include an App Icon

Including a nice, eye-catching app icon would be a good idea, as it allows users to locate your app on their homescreen. Creating an icon also makes it all look very professional, while also appealing to the user’s eye.

Test on Regular Browsers

While you necessarily need to check your Web app on the iPhone browser, it also helps test the same on regular browsers, as it will help give you an idea about the general look of the app. It goes without saying that different browsers would display your app differently. Yet, this will give you a feel of your app on the Web as well.

Test the App on an iPhone

While you have access to a number of app simulators, it is always desirable to test your app on the actual device that it is meant for. Simulators can sometimes give you very different results than on the actual iPhone. This could render your app testing process ineffective. Use simulators only as a guide to help your initial assessment of the app and not as a replacement for the iPhone.

In Conclusion

Consider all the above-mentioned tips while creating your first app for the iPhone. Also research the many app development tools available to you and learn how you can use them more effectively to develop your iPhone app.