iOS developers TwoLivesLeft have just released an interesting new app called Codify, which brings touch based programming to the iPad.
The app allows users to create their own programs using the Lua programming language by typing code directly on your iPad. Also included are various assets and programming examples to be used in your creations:
Apps such as Codify are now possible since Apple relaxed their App Store rules that originally prohibited interpreted code in iOS apps. Apple now does allow for interpreted code to be run in-app, but still prohibits the download of such code. As noted by TouchArcade, this means that anything you create in Codify can't be exported (or imported).
I've heard more than a few developers attempting to create similar tools for the iPad, but all of them have hit various roadblocks in the Apple approval process because they all (in one way or another) allowed you to get code and assets onto the device and execute it. Codify sidesteps this by coming with a wide variety of assets, but unfortunately all of your creations will be trapped on your own device.
The developer has already submitted an update that allows sharing, but the developer isn't certain if Apple will allow it.
Due to the limited nature of the environment, the tool is mostly useful for experimentation and prototyping, as you won't be able to send your creations to anyone else. Still, it's an interesting idea and pushes the iPad into more content creation areas.
Tuesday January 21, 2025 12:46 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
A leaker known as "Majin Bu" today shared an alleged image of a component for the rumored, ultra-thin "iPhone 17 Air" model.
The blurry, pixelated image shows a pair of rear iPhone shells with a pill-shaped, raised camera bar along the top. On the left side of the bar, there is a circular cutout that appears to be for a single rear camera. On the right side of the bar, there appears to be an ...
Friday January 17, 2025 2:42 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
iOS 19 is still around six months away from being announced, but a new leak has allegedly revealed a completely redesigned Camera app.
Based on footage it obtained, YouTube channel Front Page Tech shared a video showing what the new Camera app will apparently look like, with the key change being translucent menus for camera controls. Overall, the design of these menus looks similar to...
Tuesday January 21, 2025 4:31 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 18.3 today, and with it comes release notes confirming what's new. While we knew about several of the features that are in the update, there are some lesser known tweaks and bug fixes.
The update adds new Visual Intelligence features for iPhone 16 models, it tweaks Notification summaries on all...
Monday January 20, 2025 9:01 am PST by Joe Rossignol
A new iPhone SE is widely rumored to launch this year, and the device has potentially been confirmed today by known leaker Evan Blass.
In a private social media post, Blass shared an image of what appears to be source code mentioning an iPhone SE (4th Gen), which casts doubt on the alternative "iPhone 16E" name rumored for the device. However, the name in the source code could be a...
Sunday January 19, 2025 6:58 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple on late Saturday removed TikTok from the App Store in the U.S., and it has now explained why it was required to take this action.
Last year, the U.S. passed a law that required Chinese company ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok due to potential national security risks, or else the platform would be banned. That law went into effect today, and companies like Apple and Google...
Wednesday January 22, 2025 2:07 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Popular caller ID app Truecaller is rolling out an update that brings real-time caller ID support to its iOS subscribers.
Apple introduced Live Caller ID Lookup in iOS 18, allowing third-party caller ID apps to securely retrieve information about a caller from their servers, hence today's Truecaller update.
iPhone users can enable the Live Caller ID Lookup feature by going to Settings ➝ ...
Sunday January 19, 2025 8:11 am PST by Joe Rossignol
After a four-year wait, a new AirTag is finally expected to launch in 2025. Below, we recap rumored upgrades for the accessory.
A few months ago, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple was aiming to release the AirTag 2 around the middle of 2025. While he did not offer a more specific timeframe, that means the AirTag 2 could be announced by the end of June.
The original AirTag was announced...
Thursday January 23, 2025 7:32 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Walmart still does not accept Apple Pay or other NFC payments at its more than 4,600 stores across the U.S., and it stood firm on its reasoning for that today.
A spokesperson for Walmart today informed MacRumors that its position on contactless payments has not changed since we last reached out about the matter in 2022. The big-box retailer said it remains focused on its own convenient...
Tuesday January 21, 2025 6:40 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to release at least one new iPad Pro model this year, according to a supplier-focused report today from Korean website The Elec. It is likely that the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models would be updated simultaneously.
After receiving an OLED display last year, the report said the iPad Pro will receive only "minor" changes this year. Overall, the next iPad Pro is expected to...
Since you can't get your creations off the device I guess this'll be great for casual programming, but the actual stuff will still be done on computers :cool:
IMO, Apple's standard for the app store is pretty darn sensible: they require that all of the code be submitted with the app, and that code can't be changed at runtime.
I don't quite know what "artificial" would mean in this context. Their standards are in place to minimize the odds that a virus could corrupt a program or the entire iOS device. Limiting apps to the code submitted by the dev sounds like a good common-sense standard.
The Apple II maxed out at 48KB. Making anything run there required all sorts of Woznikian hacks.
We no longer need to have our computers run in such a promiscuous mode; it is a step forward.
Taking away the ability to program a computer is NOT a step forward. The iPad represents about 2/3rds of the vision Alan Kay had for the future of computers back when he did his groundbreaking work at Xerox Parc. Making programming pervasively accessible is the other 1/3rd, and done right, it may be the most powerful part.
I bought a copy of Codify as a show of support that Apple should allow apps that let people program on the iPad.
Quick answer: not awesome at all. Unless you mean touching a real keyboard, with real tactile input for fast typing, and fewer errors.
I realize that that a BT keyboard can be used, but until I can attach a few 30" monitors and ergo mice to my iPad, it is still a far cry from useful for programming.
I'd hate to see you about 15-20 years ago when we were still programming from a shell with no autocomplete, popup menus to choose functions, no mouse support let alone touch all on a 14" CRT.
