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Official iPhone/iPod Touch WebApp Directory Coming?

Wednesday October 10, 2007 9:09 am PDT by longofest
Our readers have noted, and now several sites are reporting that it appears that Apple is gearing to launch an official iPhone Web Application directory.

AppleInsider believes such a directory may launch as early as today. Our readers, as well as 9to5mac, have submitted observations that Apple's recent download's RSS feed contains iPhone web applications and a link to a currently inactive portion of Apple's website: http://www.apple.com/webapps/

As the iPod Touch uses the same mobile Safari web browser as the iPhone, such a directory listing would be applicable to it as well.

Currently, Apple's supported and official method of developing 3rd party applications is via the Safari web browser. Unofficial native solutions have been derived as well and are still in the process of being updated for Apple's latest firmware release. Such solutions are not supported by Apple, but have proven to provide more features.
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Telp
Posted: 60 months ago
I don't get how this is proof? Anyhing will take you to that part of the site with that error.
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chr1s60
Posted: 60 months ago
I guess this would be something useful. I don't think there are any really great web apps out there so maybe this would direct me towards some if they exist.
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longofest
Posted: 60 months ago

I guess this would be something useful. I don't think there are any really great web apps out there so maybe this would direct me towards some if they exist.


If you use facebook and go to it on your iPhone, they have a pretty nice interface for it.

Also, Meebo has a decent IM client that is web-based, but I still much prefer the native apps which are MUCH more feature complete.
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mainstreetmark
Posted: 60 months ago
This may make Apple take a more "official" approach to these so-called applications. As you guys know, they currently exist as bookmarks within Safari. What I might suggest is that the bookmarks feature of safari be given it's own icon, and moved to the home page of iPhone. Clicking on it exposes your safari webapp bookmarks in the same tile form as on the Home, each iconed with favicon, or something significant.

THEN I'd start to think about considering this whole "webapp" cop-out as worth while.
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THE JUICEMAN
Posted: 60 months ago

If you use facebook and go to it on your iPhone, they have a pretty nice interface for it.

Also, Meebo has a decent IM client that is web-based, but I still much prefer the native apps which are MUCH more feature complete.


I can second this. The iPhone Facebook web app is pretty nice. It allows you to do almost everything you can on the real website. It's also much faster than the real website(since we all have to use edge at some point :(). It also does a good job of emulating the iPhone interface. I can't speak for Meebo because I don't ever IM anymore.

This may make Apple take a more "official" approach to these so-called applications. As you guys know, they currently exist as bookmarks within Safari. What I might suggest is that the bookmarks feature of safari be given it's own icon, and moved to the home page of iPhone. Clicking on it exposes your safari webapp bookmarks in the same tile form as on the Home, each iconed with favicon, or something significant.

THEN I'd start to think about considering this whole "webapp" cop-out as worth while.


This is a great idea. (Apple? Are you listening?)
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earthsick
Posted: 60 months ago

This may make Apple take a more "official" approach to these so-called applications. As you guys know, they currently exist as bookmarks within Safari. What I might suggest is that the bookmarks feature of safari be given it's own icon, and moved to the home page of iPhone. Clicking on it exposes your safari webapp bookmarks in the same tile form as on the Home, each iconed with favicon, or something significant.

THEN I'd start to think about considering this whole "webapp" cop-out as worth while.


I wouldnt mind this...other wise web apps just strike me as a way of making up for EDGE speeds, NOT the lack of 3rd party apps since most web apps are just dumbed down versions of normal web sites that load slowly on EDGE (IE facebook)
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ross.32
Posted: 60 months ago
And maybe with some web apps working off-line they can put in more features to catch up to the native apps a little more?
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mrrydogg
Posted: 60 months ago

I don't get how this is proof? Anyhing will take you to that part of the site with that error.


Yes, anything you type after apple.com gives you that message. I think since there is a direct link to that site in the RSS feeds, they are putting two and two together.

Not too big of a stretch.
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mainstreetmark
Posted: 60 months ago

And maybe with some web apps working off-line they can put in more features to catch up to the native apps a little more?


a *very* little more. The web interface automatically excludes painting your own graphics, or generating your own sounds. While I'm sure you'll be able to link to a iPod song (you could in iPod's notes since at least 3G), I doubt you'll be able to get a list. I suppose it's feasable there's something like SQLite you can hook up to, but in the end, the web is no excuse for real applications.

(what if you're on an airplane! No custom apps at all?)
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brasscat
Posted: 60 months ago

This may make Apple take a more "official" approach to these so-called applications. As you guys know, they currently exist as bookmarks within Safari. What I might suggest is that the bookmarks feature of safari be given it's own icon, and moved to the home page of iPhone. Clicking on it exposes your safari webapp bookmarks in the same tile form as on the Home, each iconed with favicon, or something significant.

THEN I'd start to think about considering this whole "webapp" cop-out as worth while.


This is a good idea, but still not what I'd like to see with real applications. I wish apple would just wrap an extension for iPhone into xCode and be done with it.:confused:
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