Invoke native camera app, or allow uploads from mobile device, in mobile web app?

Dave!

Hey guys,

I'm working on a new project which will be a a Ruby/Sinatra API serving various client apps. I'm not an app developer, so to cheat for the moment I'm thinking I'll just do a responsive web app for proof of concept.

Anywho, a big part of the app will be the ability to take photos and upload them. Ideally they should be able to call the native camera app for the device, but I'm not finding a method of doing this that works for both Android and iOS.

Alternatively for the time being I could settle for allowing uploads from the mobile device, I.e. the photos are already taken. What are my options for this? The Boards Touch site allows this, does anyone know how this was implemented?

Any thoughts appreciated

Thanks

Draco

For iOS your only option for uploading via a web page is the usual file input, with the caveat that it only works on iOS 6+. This will allow the user to pick a previously taken photo. Otherwise you'd have to make an app and put it on the app store.

On Android, using file input will let the user take a photo or choose one previously taken.

Creamy Goodness

boards touch site uses the standard <input type="file"> as far as i know

mackers

Check out HTML5's getUserMedia

YMMV

Creamy Goodness

mackers wrote: »

Check out HTML5's getUserMedia

YMMV

not supported in safari as of yet, i.e. if you like ~70% of your users don't use this method