VixML a iPhone Development Platform for the Regular Guy
Not everyone is an expert at Objective C. This has caused a serious barrier to enter the iPhone development market for most designers and even some programmers. There are great ways to develop iPhone friendly websites that can be bundled as apps (Read about PhoneGap for more information) but now VixML has released a platform for the iPhone that allows developers to create native iPhone applications without touching any Objective C.
The VixML platform gives developers of the power to create iPhone applications with access to the phone’s multi-touch functions and other input methods like speech, accelerometer, and animations via a single XML file and some animated sprites.
TechCrunch, which covered the VixML launch and calls it “revolutionary,” says that for now applications created using the platform can only be published to Viximo’s upcoming TrueFlirt app, which lets users create (using VixML), send to friends, and view “flirtatious” animations and mini-apps for the iPhone.
Developers can use VixML to create apps that are then published for use with TrueFlirt, either within the app itself or as part of standalone add-on bundles for the TrueFlirt app that are sold via the App Store. Viximo reportedly plans to share revenue with the developers of VixML apps, who TechCrunch points out face a double approval process — they need apps to be approved both by Viximo and by Apple.
The platform within a platform approach is interesting because it lowers the barrier of entry for development for the iPhone by making it easier for web developers to create native apps — they can skip learning Objective C by using something like VixML. And though VixML is unique in its approach, it isn’t really what we’d call revolutionary. We reported in September on two other iPhone development platforms that greatly lower the barrier to entry for developers and do so in what we think are more clever ways.
It will be interesting to see how this catches on. I am not particularly attracted to the application in an application methodology, at least at this stage. As an iPhone user I like to get my applications directly from the app store but we will see if this changes once there are a few options to try.
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