ATA Projects: iPhone Application Distribution

Description

Links

In March of 2008, Apple Computer announced that they would provide a mechanism for third party developers to write custom applications for the iPhone. Most applications would be made available by a new online store managed by Apple, but there were also to be provisions for enterprise customers to write custom "in-house" applications that could be distributed independently (to that particular enterprise community) from Apple's online store.

ATA wanted to gain experience with the process of writing an iPhone application, distributing it through the enterprise "in-house" method and supporting such an application (updates, etc.) We did this by writing the "MiniOCal" Oracle Calendar "client" for the iPhone and distributing it via the iphoneapps.cit.cornell.edu site.

While ATA has completed its investigation into iPhone programming and will not be conducting any additional research in this area with regular FTEs (we still have some student help working on maintaining MiniOCal and looking at other applications) we will continue to maintain the distribution site for any iPhone programmers out there who would like to share their applications with the Cornell community. In addition, we have obtained credentials for distributing FREE applications on Apple's "App Store" which could be used for distributing applications that would be of interest outside of the immediate Cornell community (such as Cornell map applications and sports apps).

ATA will continue to support the following activities with respect to iPhone Application Development (requiring minimal time from ATA FTEs):

• Run the CIT iPhone Application Distribution web site
• Publish applications on the App Store (Free) on behalf of Cornell
  • This involves getting proper "permissions" from appropriate departments at Cornell.
• Utilize student programmers to continue investigating application programming.
• Maintain the MiniOCal application until it is no longer needed
  • When we convert to calendaring based on Exchange (part of the Ensemble project) we will no longer need MiniOCal.
• Share expertise in the area with any other developers on campus who would like to engage with us.
  • This includes being available to project programming courses such as CS5150 for teams looking to do iPhone Apps as their project.

Additionally, if a funded project needed programming assistance in this area, ATA would consider making FTE resources available for inclusion in such a project.

The following items are directly related to this project:

• CIT's iPhone Application Distribution Site

Staff Associated With Project

What's New?

• Ron DiNapoli, Acting Director, CIT/ATA
  • 120 Maple Ave, Rm 272a
  • rd29@cornell.edu
  • (607) 255-7605
• Tommy Cusick, CIT/ATA (Student Programmer)
  • 120 Maple Ave