Will iOS4 for iPhone limit iPad development

[dazcox5181]

I was wondering what happens once iOS 4 is out next week for phones & touches with running iPhone apps on iPad.

Seems they forgot to mention that we'd stop being able to run iPhone apps for a few months until 4 is out for iPad.

Maybe i'm wrong, but does the SDK for iOS 4 allow you to target iPad or do you have to use 3.2 SDK for iPad?

So once 4 is out can developers still target 3.1.3/3.2 as universal???

Perhaps an update (maybe minor) is around the corner (OK probably not but might happen for the WIFI fix)

 

[nj-mac-user]

I suspect since the processing power will be the same it'll just make it easier for developers and we'll just see identical apps, one version for iphone 4 and one for the ipad. iOS 4 is only a couple months away for the ipad which isn't that far.

I also assume that since iphone 4 has a greater resolution it'll make it better for ipad owners who want to "upconvert" iphone apps since there will be less pixelation.

 

[colmaclean]

iOS 4 is only a couple months away for the ipad which isn't that far.

August. Are you sure?

 

[dazcox5181]

^ exactly.

August seems too soon for "Fall" - that to me is sept/oct time.

I can't be alone in thinking iPad got pretty short changed at WWDC - what was it all of like 5 minutes for a device apple had basically spent the previous 2 events telling us was the next big thing?

I just don't see what happens in the interim - I get that iPhone & iPad were seperate teams, and 3.2 is a fork that now needs working back in to a combined release at some point, but in the meantime iPhone apps will target iOS4, and all the new APIs etc but if you want to write a universal app you're stuck at 3.1.3/3.2 level APIs (And possibly therefore prevented from releasing the app under old SDK?)

Maybe it's nothing, just seems strange. Fingers crossed for an iPad event for the extra country launches in July

 

[Crosbie]

This is one of the things that makes me think there will be a minor firmware update for iPad when iPhone 4 comes out - just bug fixes and compatibility, with maybe a little cool tweak here or there for good measure, but nothing big.

 

[jclardy]

Developers can make apps that target iOS4 and 3.2 at the same time. They just have to make sure they don't use any OS4 methods on the iPad version.

 

[nj-mac-user]

August. Are you sure?

Sorry... "few" months away. I didn't necessarily mean a couple literally.

 

[dazcox5181]

To me Fall is more sept/oct time.

Seems odd that they'll be a time when released iPhone apps will not work on the iPad, as they'll target 4.0 while we still have 3.2,

Plus the 2g owners and iPod touch owners get left on 3.1.3.

iOS is becoming as fragmented as android!

I think a lot og 3G owners may stay on 3.1.3 given the rubbish performance of the GM candidate pending last minute changes and a newer build on Monday.

Seeing as iPhone app compatibility is a major advertised feature thought more people would be concerned about it. Personally, and this may be the general case is that I can't stand iPhone apps on iPad, only have bejewelled on mine rest would rather wait for a native version.

 

[brinatech.com]

As a developer, I'll release apps for the new OS that's coming. As a user, I stay on the older OS version until there is an app that requires me to upgrade. There's really nothing earth-shattering in terms of built-in user features in iOS 4. However, the new API's that are available in iOS4 will allow much better apps.