Making an app

cena

Can you use an windows computer too make an app for a iphone/ ipod etc. Also what software is needed. Any good free ones.

shanefitz360

No, you need to run OSX. You can look up 'hackintosh' if you want to run OSX on a PC, else you could run it through a virtual machine with a program like VMware.

EDIT: I've heard mixed reviews on running OSX through a virtual machine, so be weary

Software = iPhone SDK. It's available from apple.com to download for free. To run your apps on a piece of hardware (and not the emulator), you will need to sign up for the apple developer program, $100 I think

cena

What would you suggest I should use. I don't know anything on programming but would like too try it out. It doesn't need too be for iphone etc can be for an mobile

shanefitz360

Sorry, I assumed iPhone. Well it depends what platform you do want to develop for then. If iPhone, then see above. I would suggest buying a mac if you have the money, unless you are very comfortable with hardware limits (for hackintosh) or familiar with setting up virtual machines.

If you want to develop for android, then you can do it on a windows machine. The SDK is again free, and a simple google search should find it for you.

I do not know anything about developing for blackberry, and assume you don't want to develop for windows phone (SDK would would be XNA if you did).

The language for the iPhone is mostly Objective-C, although you can use other languages alongside it. For a beginner though, sticking with Objective-C would definitely be the easiest. Android apps are written in Java.

The best places to start are the developer websites. They will have all the documentation you could need, along with tutorials and advice on how to get started.

Dublin_Gunner

shanefitz360 wrote: »

No, you need to run OSX. You can look up 'hackintosh' if you want to run OSX on a PC, else you could run it through a virtual machine with a program like VMware.

EDIT: I've heard mixed reviews on running OSX through a virtual machine, so be weary

Software = iPhone SDK. It's available from apple.com to download for free. To run your apps on a piece of hardware (and not the emulator), you will need to sign up for the apple developer program, $100 I think

Yes you can run windows to create apps for many mobile environments - including iPhone. You do not need the iOS SDK to develop for the iPhone.

Airplay / Marmalade is one SDK I can think of, off the top of my head.

There are many more too.

Here's a Wiki page for app development I googled
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_application_development

You would want to get yoru skates regarding learning C/C++ if you want to get into app dev.

However, some SDK's even use Java / HTML etc to code for mobile devices.

shanefitz360

Dublin_Gunner wrote: »

Yes you can run windows to create apps for many mobile environments - including iPhone. You do not need the iOS SDK to develop for the iPhone.

Airplay / Marmalade is one SDK I can think of, off the top of my head.

There are many more too.

Here's a Wiki page for app development I googled
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_application_development

You would want to get yoru skates regarding learning C/C++ if you want to get into app dev.

However, some SDK's even use Java / HTML etc to code for mobile devices.

You sir, are better at using the google machine than me haha.

Do you know if apple allow you to submit apps to the app market from a non-OSX platform.

Dublin_Gunner

shanefitz360 wrote: »

You sir, are better at using the google machine than me haha.

Do you know if apple allow you to submit apps to the app market from a non-OSX platform.

Yes, its the end product they're concerned with, not how you got there.

Plenty of cross-platofrm games and that sort of app are created via 1 ro 2 SDK's and exported as exeutables for each platform.

It wouldn't be very cost effective to have to use a different SDK for each platform for a developer.

I've been investigating app development for the company I work for, hence the bit of knowledge on the subject! I'm no programmer though, so don't ask me anything too difficult!

McGintyMcGoo

You can only upload an iPhone/iPad app to the app store using a Mac ... or using OSX running on a VM on Windows.

Another option for cross platform development is the Adobe Flex Framework. If you are familiar with Adobe Flash Professional, Adobe Flash Builder, you can write applications and export them as native applications that can be uploaded onto the relevant app stores for iOS, Android and Blackberry. Well worth a look. In theory, you can use the same codebase for all platforms.

Dublin_Gunner

McGintyMcGoo wrote: »

You can only upload an iPhone/iPad app to the app store using a Mac ... or using OSX running on a VM on Windows.

Another option for cross platform development is the Adobe Flex Framework. If you are familiar with Adobe Flash Professional, Adobe Flash Builder, you can write applications and export them as native applications that can be uploaded onto the relevant app stores for iOS, Android and Blackberry. Well worth a look. In theory, you can use the same codebase for all platforms.

Thats not the issue here, the issue here. The issue was finding a solution to develop an app for the iPhone on Windows - of which there are solutions.

McGintyMcGoo

What are you talking about? I contributed to the OP's query by suggesting the Adobe Flex framework.

You quoted ShaneFitz360's question:
"Do you know if apple allow you to submit apps to the app market from a non-OSX platform.""
... and you answered:
"Yes, its the end product they're concerned with, not how you got there."

ShaneFitx didn't say "apps that were developed on a non-OSX platform", so your answer was wrong. Apps need to be uploaded using the Application Loader utility and this only runs on OSX.

Anyways, if you follow Apple app development, you'd know that up until recently, it DID matter what tools were used to develop apps for Apple devices. Apple banned apps that were developed using non XCode products but changed their mind. It is likely that with the power Apple has, they will change it again sometime soon.

Dublin_Gunner

McGintyMcGoo wrote: »

What are you talking about? I contributed to the OP's query by suggesting the Adobe Flex framework.

You quoted ShaneFitz360's question:
"Do you know if apple allow you to submit apps to the app market from a non-OSX platform.""
... and you answered:
"Yes, its the end product they're concerned with, not how you got there."

ShaneFitx didn't say "apps that were developed on a non-OSX platform", so your answer was wrong. Apps need to be uploaded using the Application Loader utility and this only runs on OSX.

Anyways, if you follow Apple app development, you'd know that up until recently, it DID matter what tools were used to develop apps for Apple devices. Apple banned apps that were developed using non XCode products but changed their mind. It is likely that with the power Apple has, they will change it again sometime soon.

I wasn't arguing with you, the OP wanted to know how to develop apps on Windows. Solutions were provided.

And as you stated, it is no longer a requirement to use apple's tools to develop for the iOS. Hasn't been for a while.

Shane's question I had taken to mean 'if they will allow apps to be submitted [that were developed] from a non-OSX platform.

Yes you need a mac to submit it, but that is not too difficult to get around, by merely having someone else with a mac submit it for you.

Here is the OP's question:

Can you use an windows computer too make an app for a iphone/ ipod etc. Also what software is needed. Any good free ones.