iPhone 3G S Developers Already Splitting the Platform?
No sooner did we ask (twice) whether the iPhone 3G S will speed up the splitting of the iPhone OS platform than Mobility Today finds the little pop-up alert, above, just chock-a-block full of confirmation.
Not the most elegant or user friendly of solutions, so perhaps this ultimately lies more with how developers handle different hardware options than the existence of the options themselves?
Could a video/camera button not disappear for a current iPod touch, default to launching only the camera for iPhone 2G and iPhone 3G, or launch the camera with a video switch (like Apple’s built in Camera app will have) for iPhone 3G S?
June 11th, 2009 at 11:45 am
Well, We need to move forward on development of applications. Applications is what makes the iphone stand out in my opinion and if they don’t continue to progress they’ll let the competition catch up.
June 11th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
AppleInsider has an article that touches on software compatibility as well.
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/06/11/whyapplekeepsiphonespecifications_quiet.html
Keeping up with video and speed changes, as discussed here http://www.theiphoneblog.com/2009/06/10/iphone-3g-opengl-es-20-hardware-accelerated-graphical-goodness/#comment-50896 are one thing, but dealing with totally different equipment is quite another.
AppleInsider suggests that the 2G phone was able to fake GPS good enough for some applications by using tower and wifi connections. But new cameras push the limits of that as does the compass.
June 11th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
ARRRRRGH, The blog broke the link to AppleInsider:
http://tinyurl.com/ms6xaw
June 11th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
I’m thinking they should have not done a hardware upgrade now. I would like to be able to use all the apps without upgrading my phone.
June 11th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
If the video APIs are anything like the photo ones, you could just ask the OS if the device you’re using supports video recording and make the button disappear if it doesn’t.
Anyone who doesn’t do this is just a lazy developer. :/
June 11th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
But if Video recording is the whole purpose of the App?
Should Apple let you buy and install an App they know you can’t use?
All of us phone geeks might not make this mistake, but with greater and greater market penetration there will be some who might.
June 11th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
how can they make video recording apps for jailbreak but apple cant this is why the need for jailbreak will alyways be there
June 11th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
@MattyFresh, Apple can do whatever the Jailbreakers do and likely do it better. If it appears to be less than Apple quality they will not do it because they want to keep their reputation for product quality and ease of use.
This is the same reason why we don’t have multitask. They can do it in the 3G since they’re using a PC’s OS. However, the 3G has terrible battery life as it is and allowing multitasking will only drain it faster. So, Apple could do a lot of things if they choose to but will not until it can be done to their satisfaction.
June 11th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
did anyone else get the early iphone os 3.0 download like me?!!! It wrks gr8 & i didnot have to wait a WHOLE wk…
June 11th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
when is the mobile version of this site going bck up?!
June 11th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
And why does the mobile version take so much bandwidth it had to be taken down?
Surely these complex page loads cost way more.
Lets buy more stuff from the TiPb store so they can afford more bandwidth and a bigger server. This site pretty much slash dotted itself during WWDC.
June 11th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
@ reptile
i completely disagree and you give no supporting facts other than to say batter life well mom just got the palm pre and it has no problem doing mulit tasking and such the battery life is terrible but it still does it i guess my problem is at least give me the option and let me decide not apple and i think cycorder is a great program and i dont see apple making anything better and i recorde video all the time and it has no effect on my battery life i charge at night a never need a charge before bed what ever time that is i even let me friends play with it so your excuases hold no merit at all
June 11th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
The issue is on the hones of the developer imo. As a developer myself, making sure my application or web apps are cross compatible is a huge issue. I do a lot of work for my company internally on our system development where I have to make sure it works for the future (things can be added or modified for future releases) and works for legacy. It may take a lot of time and a lot of work. But if you are developing something that you hope someone should buy, take pride and make it work for everything just have your checks and balances in your coding to ensure it will do so.
Maybe you dont have all the devices to test on, so you just work the current and move up as more devices or protocols come out. I understand that model of development too, and in the end you should be focusing on the newest version.
@icebike
“Should Apple let you buy and install an App they know you can’t use?
All of us phone geeks might not make this mistake, but with greater and greater market penetration there will be some who might.”
Really I dont think that should be put onto apple. Its like going into a store and buying a video game. Getting home and going, oh **** my computer sucks I can’t run this. Sure those people that dont know any better do exist, but there is nothing the developer does with the exception of putting the requirements on the box. Its there for you to read check it out. Thats my thought on it. Why should apple have to adjust their systems to check what device you have. Hell you could have all three, so is it going to have to use a backend system to verify that I am installing it on the right piece of hardware? On the other hand Apple does collect a lot of info, and it may be easy for them, but really is it their fault if you dont look at the specs of the app first?
Too many variables, be a smart user and look into the info. Thats all I got to say.
June 11th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
@Mattyfresh
Please learn to spell and to punctuate. Sheesh.
June 11th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
@Richard:
I generally agree with your “let the buyer beware” assessment of the problem of incompatible apps.
I was just thinking that, since Apple has taken it upon themselves to prevent any apps except those that 1) come from the app store, and 2) meet with Apple’s approval, haven’t they already assumed something very close to this burden?
I also have no clear idea of how much they do know about my Phone when I purchase an app. I understand I can have more than one device on an account, and if I purchase on the computer they don’t know where the app will be installed. (BTW: I never purchase on the computer any more). If I purchase from the phone, do they not know just about everything about the device?
I’m not saying Apple should take control of this, but it could become more of a “Service” they might choose to offer in iTunes as future devices make the problem more acute.
June 11th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
@mystic:
Weren’t you the guy that used the word “hectoring” the other day?
June 11th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Got me.
June 11th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
@ mystic never gonna happen not somthing i need to do in my everyday life so no need
June 11th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
@Matty – Only something you do not need to do if you do not want people to take you seriously or understand the point you are trying to make…
June 11th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
@chris
i own an audio company and i write up bids all day then my secratary types them up so no need simple as that
June 11th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
I thought that there would be twitter apps where u can upload video to… But i think this is inevitable. Of course there aren’t going to be the same features on the older phones.
interesting.
I did NOT know there was http://www.twitvid.com
I jokingly search it and there it was wow. thats crazy.
June 11th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
I would imagine that Apple decided against recorded video in the 2G and 3G iterations simply to begin the segregation process of its products. Not planned obsolescence, but rather a gentle nudge to upgrade to the next iPhone version.
June 11th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
@Rajiv:
It’s my understanding that the jailbroken 3G phone can only achieve 15 frames per second.
So it that is true, maybe Apple just doesn’t think its good enough to put their name on.
Just a guess.
June 11th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Video should be integrated in all the iPhones. I mean honestly, it can browse the internet, talk, listen to music, watch videos, and it’s a touch screen. But it can’t record video? That’s Apples way of saying, “Please upgrade so you can get one more new feature, and a bit more speed.”
June 11th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
@Ben Clare
“That’s Apples way of saying, “Please upgrade so you can get one more new feature, and a bit more speed.”
To which I say F$&K YOU, APPLE!!!
June 12th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Jailbroken video via Cycoder is sh*t, when a fully functioning 3Gs get’s out in the wild there’ll be comparison videos and camera shots.
Then all you naysayers will realise what a vast upgrade this actually is.
@MattyFresh, let us know what company you “own”, then I’ll make sure I don’t buy anything from you…
“my mom”, “my friends”. Are you sure you’ve left pre-school?
June 12th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Why would anyone expect is application to support video when the 3G doesn’t support video? It’s not the developer that is “splitting the platform”, it’s Apple. And rightfully so, you don’t buy a video chat application for your PC if you don’t have a video camera, right? So why would you think an upgraded Twitter app that enables you to upload video would magically enable your 3G to take video? Why would you expect the developer to make this work?
Sometimes I think people whine just for something to do! Consumers needs to start using their brains and actually reviewing an application’s compatibility before spending cash on an app. It’s not Apple’s job to babysit your phone.
June 12th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
@whydidnt – Nobody expects the app to take video when the phone cannot do it. However, there is certainly a better solution (like not showing the button period).