I’ve developed a mobile website which is optimized for android/iOS. I’ve been asked to place it on the mobile app stores, however the website is programmed mostly server-side.
I want to avoid re-programming the entire mobile website using ajax for phoneGap, both because it’s just another version to maintain and I want to make sure any changes I make to the mobile website are immediately on app versions without having to re-submit or risk breaking the ajax API I would need to create.
I know that phoneGap simply uses a web-view to build the app. Is it possible to have a phonegap app just link to the website, through a frame, redirect, etc? (and avoid the website showing the browser controls/chrome); What would the best way to go about this be? Also, is there a company that would just do this and submit the apps?
Thank you.
You can, but as for Apple approving it, that’s another matter, and they most likely won’t. As a rule of thumb, if there is no Internet connection, you must at least load the UI (your views) without the corresponding data, and put an error notice to that effect. Therefore your app must have these views included in it. For a guideline, set your iPhone to Airplane Mode in the Settings, then load either the Maps, Weather, Youtube, ITunes or Facebook apps, and see what they do (have a “shell”). Apple is probably concerned about them approving your app based on your app description and functionality as promised by you, and then you turning around and changing it completely after approval to something undesirable.
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