When the iPhone debut in 2007 , developers who wanted to build apps for Apple ’s smartphone had just one option — make a Web app that exploiter would access through the phone ’s establish - in Safari web browser . “ We ’ve come up with a very sweet answer , ” Apple CEO Steve Jobs said at the time , hailing the entanglement - based approach as an “ innovative new way to create apps for iPhone . ”
Four years subsequently , some iOS developers finally seem to be encompass that attack — even though Jobs might now prefer that they instead help themselves of the full App Store experience .
On Wednesday , Amazon unveil Kindle Cloud Reader , an iPad - optimise entanglement app for buying and reading ebooks . That same day , Vudu announced that iPad proprietor can now rent and stream videos — again , via a Web app , and not an App Store app . Those announcements play along a move by theFinancial Timesin June tolaunch a vane app of its own .
Apple offers developers an iOS SDK to create mobile apps. But some are opting for Web-based apps optimized for Apple’s mobile devices.
What ’s behind the stiff increase in outstanding iOS - focus vane apps when there ’s a perfectly good — and thrive — App Store for push wares to iPhone , iPod touch , and iPad proprietor ? A leading cause may be Apple ’s own rules about App Store offerings .
Apple offers developers an Io SDK to create mobile apps . But some are opt for World Wide Web - based apps optimized for Apple ’s mobile devices .
Apple , as you retrieve , relent on its Web - base approaching to mobile apps in 2008 , spread out the App Store and giving developer a chance to work up aboriginal programs for the iPhone . App makers , halfhearted to the original vane - based approach , embraced the iPhone SDK and the App Store model — even if it meant agreeing to Apple ’s very detailed restriction and occasionally lengthy review process .
Apple offers developers an iOS SDK to create mobile apps. But some are opting for Web-based apps optimized for Apple’s mobile devices.
But a few young wrinkles have sprung up in recent months that have some notable developers hoping that there ’s more than one style to make money with iOS apps . And those wrinkles stem largely from Apple ’s policies on subscription - based apps .
When Apple unveiled iOS subscriptions this past February , the companionship mandated that developer hand over 30 percentage of all sale back to Apple , just as they do with app purchase . Apple also importune that in - app purchases must be priced at or below the prices of the same good trade elsewhere — a tough pill to swallow for some publishers . Finally , Apple expect that any digital content available for purchase to enhance an app — like , say , an ebook — must also be offered through Apple ’s official in - app buying system . In Amazon ’s case , that rule stand for that the troupe would postulate to rule some way to add its 950,000 ebook championship into Apple ’s in - app purchasing computer programme — an impossible task yield Apple ’s current developer tools .
By June , Apple reversed some of those polices — just around the time we start seeing many spectacular magazines embrace App Store subscriptions . The price - matching requirements were axed . But Apple ingeminate a stern policy that apps could n’t hold connexion to connection - based digital stores for their content . follow July , every major Io east - reading app remove any links to their Web stores . In fact , Google Books was pulled from the store totally for a few hour before the company submitted an updated translation of its app with the store tie removed .
Apple offers developers an iOS SDK to create mobile apps. But some are opting for Web-based apps optimized for Apple’s mobile devices.
The result of these dominion : Ebook apps ca n’t link back to their ebook memory board . Customers either must know or independently discover the URLs for those stores and access them directly . And each time an app maker want to update a product , it ’s open to another round of Apple ’s approval appendage . Apple has also manifest that it retains the right hand to update ( and re - update ) its App Store insurance policy at any fourth dimension — and apps will want to comply or face constructive eviction from the store .
So what ’s a developer to do ? While many app makers do just fine with the rules Apple has put into spot , others are find the restrictions a minuscule too limiting . And so you get Amazon launching the Kindle Cloud Reader Web - based app .
Amazon ’s World Wide Web appdoesn’t just include a radio link to the Kindle Store — which , again , the Kindle iOS app is not allowed to feature — it includes an excellent iPad - optimized Kindle Store browsing experience . Browsing the store is better with the Web app than with Amazon ’s desktop website . For finding and buying ebooks from an iPad , it ’s certainly the good option . Amazon can update the Kindle Web app whenever it wants to , with no blessing outgrowth hold - ups , and no external confinement on what the app can and ca n’t do .
But in launching its Kindle Cloud Reader app on the Web , Amazon did n’t take out the aboriginal Kindle app from Apple ’s App Store . For the time being at least , the two apps will coexist . That may be because the vane app’sreadingexperience picket in equivalence to the native app . It may also be because iOS equipment owners are well - trained to visit the App Store — and not Safari — to discover new apps , and that Amazon feels it ca n’t give to not have the Kindle app in the App Store .
Amazon ’s not alone . TheFinancial Times , too , maintain an App Store front in summation to its Web app . Far fewer party seem to be taking the Vudu ’s path ofexclusivelyoffering a World Wide Web app , without a corresponding App Store entrance .
It ’s worth note that all of these Web apps are free to use , at least at first . Each makes its money through the Web equivalent of in - app purchases — Amazon with its books , TheFinancial Timeswith its subscriptions , and Vudu with its pay - per - view purchases . Web apps probably seem less appealing to kinsfolk develop alone free apps , or free apps that swear solely on in - app ad to make their money : Apple ’s not rake the 30 percent off the top , and it ’s still got the best iOS gimmick statistical distribution in town .
Could more app maker bosom the vane model over Apple ’s store ? There are certainly reasons for developer to go that route . WWW apps can figure out offline with HTML5 storage , they can localize app - like icon on your homescreen , and they can do thing App Store apps ca n’t do . Want to shop the complete archive ofPlayboymagazine ? There ’s an app for that — but it ’s Web - only .
If app makers and publishing company continue to innovate on the Web app side — bypassing not just Apple ’s rule but also the need to pay up it that 30 percent commission — how will Cupertino respond ? Though Apple once proudly embraced Web apps as not just a great way , but theonlyway to develop for iOS , the party has n’t updatedits list of iOS - friendly entanglement appssince December 2010 . And while a company as profitable as Apple belike would n’t eat into over lose out on the 30 percent take it might otherwise get from some apps were they on the App Store , it ’s of import to think that Apple is staffed not just by creative wizard , but by astute commercial enterprise creative thinker , too .
Thus , if Web apps in truth take off — a freehanded “ if , ” give that the App Store occur pre - installed on every twist with access to hundred of thou of apps — and Apple becomes unhappy with the aboriginal - to - Web - app evolution , the company will surely find a way to stanch that theoretical App Store hegira — likely by loosening the App Store ’s rules .
My bet , however , is that Apple is n’t really miff at all by Amazon orPlayboyand the others . By create their impressive entanglement apps , these companies are prove Apple ’s long - standing line that such apps are indeed a viable alternative to the App Store . Apple can go along provide the curated experience its sensitivity need and , whenever the next inevitable App Store controversy arises , it can , in its defense , proudly target to the amply acceptable “ other fashion ” embraced by several outstanding companies .
Apple ’s placement is easy to understand : There would be no iOS app market were it not for Io , and the company can therefore run its App Store however it like . Apple ’s quite content for customers to think that it ’s gentle to just practice the iBooks app — with its free , allow build - in bookshop — than fiddle with Amazon ’s aboriginal or Web apps . To Apple , then , the slowly - paced rise of adequate iOS World Wide Web apps is a win - win : It proves the party ’s point that such apps are a realistic App Store option , and the company can annul course at any meter should it find that the App Store model is in any path threaten . My guess is that any such terror is a long elbow room off .
[ Lex Friedman is a Macworld staff author . ]
