[braj]

I just reread this press release and bolded something I didn't notice before:

WWDC 2007, SAN FRANCISCO—June 11, 2007—Apple® today announced that its revolutionary iPhone™ will run applications created with Web 2.0 Internet standards when it begins shipping on June 29. Developers can create Web 2.0 applications which look and behave just like the applications built into iPhone, and which can seamlessly access iPhone’s services, including making a phone call, sending an email and displaying a location in Google Maps. Third-party applications created using Web 2.0 standards can extend iPhone’s capabilities without compromising its reliability or security.

So this seems to my that they will be effectively widgets with a UI created outside of Safari. Maybe this means a real IM client could be made, I don't know. But I had considered everything would be running within Safari but if they can 'look and behave' like native apps maybe this isn't the end of the world. We'll see.

[surur]

Their example app runs inside the browser.

Surur

[Kenundrum]

that's simple- i have apps that give me links on my desktop on my PC, but they still open up inside of internet explorer...
if i make internet explorer full screen then yea- they look like real apps... that's probably what will happen with these things, they'll launch in safari full screen and then you have some gesture or something to get out of them and back to the main menu
another interesting question would be- can you run more than one of those web based apps at the same time, as in- can you actually surf the web and then call up a web based app and switch between the two... or will it lose your place in the web browser...

[marcol]

another interesting question would be- can you run more than one of those web based apps at the same time, as in- can you actually surf the web and then call up a web based app and switch between the two... or will it lose your place in the web browser...

Seems that Safari can open multiple windows and switching between them uses the bottom right button:

https://www.apple.com/iphone/internet/#mn_p

[Certs]

The main question is whether or not the app can be stored on the device or not. If so then its a whole new ballgame. If I need an Internet connection to run an app, then my usage is limited (to range and data speed). Using Safari to run vs. using an onlne server to run the app is totally different..

[marcol]

The main question is whether or not the app can be stored on the device or not. If so then its a whole new ballgame. If I need an Internet connection to run an app, then my usage is limited (to range and data speed). Using Safari to run vs. using an onlne server to run the app is totally different..

Here's a very simple app:

http://www.onetrip.org/hello.php

A couple of observations (using Safari 3 beta on a Mac):

1) Once loaded it works perfectly well without an internet connection. BUT...

2) To load it absolutely requires a network connection. Without a connection Safari simply returns a 'You are not connected to the Internet' error message.

Of course I don't know that either 1 or 2 would be the same on an iPhone. If the they were, however, I'd personally judge this as pretty inadequate for most apps. The exception to that would be apps that fulfil functions that necessarily require an internet connection (IM for example).

[Certs]

Here's a very simple app:

http://www.onetrip.org/hello.php

A couple of observations (using Safari 3 beta on a Mac):

1) Once loaded it works perfectly well without an internet connection. BUT...

2) To load it absolutely requires a network connection. Without a connection Safari simply returns a 'You are not connected to the Internet' error message.

Of course I don't know that either 1 or 2 would be the same on an iPhone. If the they were, however, I'd personally judge this as pretty inadequate for most apps. The exception to that would be apps that fulfil functions that necessarily require an internet connection (IM for example).

I get that, but it sounds like the app itself isn't stored on the phone (computer in your case). If you can download the app and save it on the phone, it could run in safari but not need the connection. I just don't know if its possible, I know nothing about web apps.

But if that can be done, then Apple might be on to something here. A poorly written app will cause nothing but Safari to close, I assume, not hindering the stability of the phone. Archie may know the answer to this one (never thought I would say that lol)

[braj]

So, what I'm curious about are apps that don't need any net connection for functionality, like a scientific calculator or something. Can they be a Web 2.0 app?

[tirk]

I get that, but it sounds like the app itself isn't stored on the phone (computer in your case). If you can download the app and save it on the phone, it could run in safari but not need the connection. I just don't know if its possible, I know nothing about web apps.

But if that can be done, then Apple might be on to something here. A poorly written app will cause nothing but Safari to close, I assume, not hindering the stability of the phone. Archie may know the answer to this one (never thought I would say that lol)

The big assumption here is surely that iPhone Safari cannot crash the phone itself, or have exploits that can be used by a malicious application to subvert the phone. Safari is just another layer of the OS in effect, so why should it be any better at handling bad apps than the OS itself?

[Certs]

The big assumption here is surely that iPhone Safari cannot crash the phone itself, or have exploits that can be used by a malicious application to subvert the phone. Safari is just another layer of the OS in effect, so why should it be any better at handling bad apps than the OS itself?

I was giving an example, or better stated a hypothetical. No one knows if this can happen (safari apps stored locally)? Any apple/mac users that can chime in?