How to prepare for the iPhone development?

Question

Hi there,

I am going to develop on iPhone platform. Can some one make an explanation about how to do this? Here is some of my question?

1. If I want to publish my iPhone software (totally free, and will be free forever), do I have to register apple developer with $99?
2. If I don't pay for apple, where else can I get detail development information (such as API documentation, library references, etc)?
3. What are the steps to develop and publish my software by the official way if I want to spend as little money as I can?

Answer 1

1. If you want to publish in the app store, you have to pay the $99.
2. There are tons of tutorials, and several good books available.
3. See #1. You've got to pay the $99 to publish the official way (through the app store.)

All that said, there is the concept of ad-hoc deployment which lets you share a limited number of apps with other people. The limit is 100 phones, and the users will have to go through a much more complicated process to get the app installed. The real purpose for ad-hoc distribution is getting your app to people who can test it before you send it to the app store.

In my opinion, after you've bought the iPhone and the Mac you have to have to run XCode, $99 is a pretty small price to pay. You're probably paying that much every month to keep the phone.