iOS Do I need a "32-bit Mac" for iPhone dev?

[tedc]

Erica Sadun's iPhone programming book says, "Apple requires a Intel-based computer in 32-bit mode. Many features do not work properly on ... Intel Macs in 64-bit mode", but she doesn't say what those features are.

I'm new to Macs and trying to decide what to buy for iPhone programming, and the above quote is the only time I've seen this in all the docs I've read, including those from Apple. The main question is, will a MacBook Pro with Leopard operate in 32-bit mode as well as 64-bit mode for the sake of iPhone SDK programming? I've not used a 64-bit computer, but there is an implication that on a Mac you can switch between 64 and 32 bit operation. If so, how do I do this?

Has anyone had problems with missing features after just loading up the SDK on a Macbook Pro or equivalent and developing for iPhone?

Thanks for any help. Buying the computer is the first step, and I can't get past this. (Maybe I just shouldn't have read that book...)

Ted

 

[kainjow]

I'm not sure what that quote is referring to, but the iPhone 2.2.1 SDK read me states:

iPhone SDK requires an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X Leopard version 10.5.4 or later.​

 

[wakka092]

Erica Sadun's iPhone programming book says, "Apple requires a Intel-based computer in 32-bit mode. Many features do not work properly on ... Intel Macs in 64-bit mode", but she doesn't say what those features are.

I'm new to Macs and trying to decide what to buy for iPhone programming, and the above quote is the only time I've seen this in all the docs I've read, including those from Apple. The main question is, will a MacBook Pro with Leopard operate in 32-bit mode as well as 64-bit mode for the sake of iPhone SDK programming? I've not used a 64-bit computer, but there is an implication that on a Mac you can switch between 64 and 32 bit operation. If so, how do I do this?

Has anyone had problems with missing features after just loading up the SDK on a Macbook Pro or equivalent and developing for iPhone?

Thanks for any help. Buying the computer is the first step, and I can't get past this. (Maybe I just shouldn't have read that book...)

Ted

Ehh.. you can't really switch between 32-bit and 64-bit modes in Leopard (that may change in Snow Leopard.) Being in either mode would have no implications, as far as I know. I have absolutely no clue why she would say anything about that.

I am using a MacBook Pro, and everything has worked fine.

 

[BlackWolf]

I guess she is technically right, because the SDK is a 32bit application. but that also means that it is automatically run in "32-bit-mode" ... so you don't really have to worry about it

 

[tedc]

Thanks

Thanks to all for your replies. I now understand what's going on, and will be buying a MacBook Pro.

Incidentally, I've even just today heard from Erica about this, and she agrees that I can just use Leopard, and that Snow Leopard will do the 64-bit stuff.