For those that do not own a Mac but would like to learn how to
write iPhone apps, there are several alternatives, which are discussed
below.
DragonFire SDK
You'll need to know C or C++. But you can write iPhone apps in Visual Studio. DragonFire also comes with a simulator so you can test your app.
One drawback about DragonFire is that you must upload your project in a zip file to the website. The project will then be built on Mac. Once built, you can download the app.
After your project is built, you can submit it to the app store for publishing via iTunes Connect. You must be a iPhone Developer Program member ($99/yr) to publish in the app store. Alternatively, you can use DragonFire's Zimusoft to submit your app to the app store.
DragonFire cost $49.95 for starter kits and goes up to $149.95 for iPhone + iPad.
PhoneGap
From PhoneGap's FAQ:
Q: What is PhoneGap?
A: PhoneGap is an open source solution for building cross-platform mobile apps with standards-based Web technologies like HTML, JavaScript, CSS.
PhoneGap allows you to build for multiple platforms, not just iPhone. If you do decide to build an iPhone app with PhoneGap, you'll need an Intel based Mac and Xcode (free). Most other platforms such as Android, Blackberry, WebOS, and Symbian can all be built on Windows.
PhoneGap is a write once, deploy everywhere platform. Think of it as an add on to each mobile device development platform. This means you will need to download each respective OS development environment, develop your app within it, build and deploy using recommended methods for the target OS. This can be very time consuming but most likely not nearly as time consuming as learning multiple languages. Although, most of these languages will be java. However, more people know CSS, Javascript and HTML than do Java.
Keep in mind that writing for multiple platforms means you will have multiple versionings to keep up with. But the advantage PhoneGap offers is that all you need to know is CSS, Javascript and HTML. There will be some generic code you can reuse between platforms. But PhoneGap APIs are will probably differ between platforms, causing rewrites of those areas.
Although each platform comes with a simulator, it is highly recommended that you test your apps on devices running each OS.
Titanium Mobile
Titanium allows you to create mobile apps for iPhone and Android. Additionally, you can create desktop apps for Windows and Mac.
You'll need a Mac to create iPhone apps and also the iPhone SDK. For Android, you'll need the Andoid SDK. However, you IDE will be Titanium and you can write in CSS, HTML, Ruby, Python, PHP.
Overall, Titanium is a powerful platform, allowing you to write within a single environment for two mobile platforms. You'll still need to pay $99/yr for the iPhone Developer Program, which allows you to publish in the app store. Titanium is free for the limited Community edition and $49/mo for the Indie edition.
MonoTouch
MonoTouch is great for.NET developers that are targeting the iPhone or Android platform. Note for iPhone development, you will need a Mac, iPhone SDK and be a member of the iPhone Developer Program. MonoTouch will be the environment you develop mobile apps in.
MonoTouch for iOS cost a one-time fee of $399. If you purchase Mono for Andoid also, you'll get 50% off its $399, for a total of $598.
You'll need to know C or C++. But you can write iPhone apps in Visual Studio. DragonFire also comes with a simulator so you can test your app.
One drawback about DragonFire is that you must upload your project in a zip file to the website. The project will then be built on Mac. Once built, you can download the app.
After your project is built, you can submit it to the app store for publishing via iTunes Connect. You must be a iPhone Developer Program member ($99/yr) to publish in the app store. Alternatively, you can use DragonFire's Zimusoft to submit your app to the app store.
DragonFire cost $49.95 for starter kits and goes up to $149.95 for iPhone + iPad.
PhoneGap
From PhoneGap's FAQ:
Q: What is PhoneGap?
A: PhoneGap is an open source solution for building cross-platform mobile apps with standards-based Web technologies like HTML, JavaScript, CSS.
PhoneGap allows you to build for multiple platforms, not just iPhone. If you do decide to build an iPhone app with PhoneGap, you'll need an Intel based Mac and Xcode (free). Most other platforms such as Android, Blackberry, WebOS, and Symbian can all be built on Windows.
PhoneGap is a write once, deploy everywhere platform. Think of it as an add on to each mobile device development platform. This means you will need to download each respective OS development environment, develop your app within it, build and deploy using recommended methods for the target OS. This can be very time consuming but most likely not nearly as time consuming as learning multiple languages. Although, most of these languages will be java. However, more people know CSS, Javascript and HTML than do Java.
Keep in mind that writing for multiple platforms means you will have multiple versionings to keep up with. But the advantage PhoneGap offers is that all you need to know is CSS, Javascript and HTML. There will be some generic code you can reuse between platforms. But PhoneGap APIs are will probably differ between platforms, causing rewrites of those areas.
Although each platform comes with a simulator, it is highly recommended that you test your apps on devices running each OS.
Titanium Mobile
Titanium allows you to create mobile apps for iPhone and Android. Additionally, you can create desktop apps for Windows and Mac.
You'll need a Mac to create iPhone apps and also the iPhone SDK. For Android, you'll need the Andoid SDK. However, you IDE will be Titanium and you can write in CSS, HTML, Ruby, Python, PHP.
Overall, Titanium is a powerful platform, allowing you to write within a single environment for two mobile platforms. You'll still need to pay $99/yr for the iPhone Developer Program, which allows you to publish in the app store. Titanium is free for the limited Community edition and $49/mo for the Indie edition.
MonoTouch
MonoTouch is great for.NET developers that are targeting the iPhone or Android platform. Note for iPhone development, you will need a Mac, iPhone SDK and be a member of the iPhone Developer Program. MonoTouch will be the environment you develop mobile apps in.
MonoTouch for iOS cost a one-time fee of $399. If you purchase Mono for Andoid also, you'll get 50% off its $399, for a total of $598.
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