Problem with distributing web applications on the Apple Store

Question

Hi,

I have quite a problem with finding out how to distribute the web based application. There is the description:

I have a web based application I would like to distribute over Apple Store (the application itself is free - I would like to use Apple Store because everybody uses it and it is a natural distribution channel for iPhone). To use the Apple Store I can make an wrapper application, which will launch the Safari browser after its startup - but this approach looks pretty ugly:

1/ First the wrapper application window is launched

2/ Then in application delegate I open the link

NSString *stringURL = @"http://www.mypage.com/";
NSURL *url = [NSURL URLWithString:stringURL];
[[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:url];

3/ The application is going to background

4/ The Safari is launched

5/ The Safari launch is also not so nice, because the previously opened page is shown in Safari first and then it slides to a blank new window, where start my web application.

The 'not so nice' launch is the 1st problem - 2nd problem is that the application is not full screen and i did not find a way how to force Safari to become full screen.

Sure - I can force users to can go directly to my application web page first, then they will create a bookmark on the springboard, so they will have the icon here. Then they will have a nice launch + full screen Safari, but I will loose the possibility do promote and distribute the application on the Apple Store.

The last possibility is to use the UIWebView, but it does not support HTML5 cache manifest and localStorage, so it cannot be used.

Has anyone some advice how to handle this or I have to forgot the Apple Store?

BR STeN

Answer 1

UIWebView is a (very) vanilla version of Safari. You'll have to do quite a bit of work to make it behave close to Safari. For example, handling authentication (I have a lot of trouble with UIwebView), browser history if frames are used, and caching are all going to take you a bit of time depending on the type of app you're developing.

IMHO, the approach of making a Web app and asking user to make a home screen bookmark is currently the best approach for your problem.

Answer 2

I realize you've probably dedicated a fair amount of time to learning about WebViews, etc., but I believe you'd be much better off checking out PhoneGap, which is tailored specifically for this sort of thing (you may even get an Android app out of it...).

Here's a quick video showing how easy it is to integrate PhoneGap with jQTouch (a web app plugin for iPhone).