The smartphone has become a necessity in most people’s lives, and you can imagine how much money has been spent not only on the phones themselves, but also on the applications that have been downloaded to each of them. If you’ve ever played a game or used an app that you thought you might have created or improved upon, iPhone app development could be a great way to get creative and earn money.
On average, iPhone users buy and download 10 apps per month, and iPod touch users buy an average of eighteen apps per month. For both devices, the average number of apps downloaded for free is between eight and sixteen per month. Free downloads are a great way to practice and expand your app ideas, and it also lets you see how popular your idea is and how many people wanted your app on their phone. If you decide to sell your application for a price and are successful, you can become part of the industry that generates millions of dollars in applications each month.
You should have a few things ready before you start the development process, and the first thing you need is an idea. You also need to have an Intel-based Mac computer, SDK (software development kit), and an iPhone simulator. All of these features can be downloaded to your computer, but eventually it would benefit you to get your own phone or iPod touch so you can see the application running on the actual device.
First of all, you can’t do any iPhone development without an SDK, and you can download this software for free from Apple’s developer website. When you access the website, you need to click on the Developer Center tab and become a registered iPhone developer. In the Dev Center you will find information for documentation, sample codes and this is where you will find the button to download the SDK.
After downloading, the most important content in your folder will be the Xcode, because this is the basis for creating applications. When you open the Developer app, drag Xcode to dock and you’re good to go.
Click on Xcode and when the window opens, you will have your interface builder in front of you. Go to the file tab and use the drop down menu and select “New project”. Then you will be given options for different templates, specific to the type of application you want to design. The best option for beginners is the Windows-based application, and after choosing this, you can start building your application by applying labels and texts.
Next you need to start coding, this will always seem confusing at first, but it only takes a little time to get used to the language. Objection C is the language used to create all iPhone application programming. Basic codes connect an IB output to a UI tag, add another IB output for your main text field, and then add an IB action to your buttons.
If you have an idea for an app, take the time to learn to code and program for iPhone app development, and watch your ideas and talents appear in the everyday lives of others.
