I am looking for some help and direction in converting my Android apps to Apple / iOS apps. I don’t have an iPhone available to me to help me build it, so I need someone else to help. I have two audio with text highlighting apps that I’d like to convert. One is spoken and one is songs with music.
Hi there - I have gone through that transition relatively recently so it’s still fresh in my mind - let me tell you the two big hurdles. First is that you need a Mac computer to develop for iOS. The second is that you need a $100/year Apple Developer account, unless someone in your organization is willing to let you use theirs, or has an agency-wide one, etc. If you have those two things, it’s a bit of a different process than Android, but doable once you get your head around it. In some ways better, but certainly more complicated on the signing part of it. But that’s just getting used to the process, if you have the Mac and the developer account, you can do it.
By the way re: the issue you mentioned of having an iPhone, you don’t need one, there is an iPhone simulator from Apple you install on the Mac that is a part of what you need to develop for iOS, and you don’t have to pay extra for it as long as you have a Mac.
Let me know if you need more info or if you want to Skype about it.
Hi Corey,
Thanks for your reply. I do not have a Mac…I don’t own and Apple products, and I am not sure if I can justify purchasing one just for this, especially since I don’t expect a lot of users, but the users that need the apps in this format are key users.
I’m willing to pay for the account. It would be great if there were an organization account I could use. Hopefully I can check into that and see what I can find.
Yeah they are two pretty significant boundaries to getting started. I got my first Mac for app making pretty recently by making the need known in our networks, and had one on its way to me within a month or so. That one still works but due to some software compatibility things got another for $300 on eBay, a 2012 model that also works great for development. So two options that might make it feasible.
I should have mentioned - be sure to get one that can run Mojave or later - the development tools that the App Store is requiring can only run on Mojave and later.
MacBook introduced in 2015 or later
MacBook Air introduced in 2012 or later
MacBook Pro introduced in 2012 or later
Mac mini introduced in 2012 or later
iMac introduced in 2012 or later
iMac Pro (all models)
Mac Pro introduced in 2013 or later
Some older models can get around this, but better to just go with native support.
Check this out on ebay, this is the kind of older model you can get for a reasonable price. This is similar to what I got, a scratch and dent but functional 2012 MacBook Pro. Put a SDD in there if you can afford to and it’s as fast as you want it to be. This 2012 model is great because it is user upgradeable, they start to not be so after this era.
Thank you, that is helpful information.
For the past 7 years, my laptop has been the 2012 MacBook Pro. I replaced the DVD drive with an SSD and an OWC Data Doubler. This gave me a large spinning disk for storage and a fast SSD for the OS and applications. The max memory technically is 8GB but you can put in 16GB. There are guides at ifixit.com on how to do these upgrades. It is not difficult. Be aware that newer models of Mac can have soldered on memory and SSD and cannot be upgraded. You can check a specific model at everymac.com or at OWC (macsales.com).
Chris
@richard and @mcquayi do you know of any organizational structures that can help SAB developers (those who normally create android apps) to create iPhone apps for the key steakholders who use iPhones? Ideally SAB would have an export feature that would zip up all the elements needed that could be sent to a SAB developer using a Mac to create the iPhone apps.
I agree with @kklcclkk about iPhone users being few but important people :
In other words, it’s some of the more important steak holders with influence who are using iPhones. It’s not so much the local population, but sometimes it’s the ones who have lived overseas and yet have significant influence on progress and development in their homelands.
@Andy_Weathers, yes, in our region of Africa, there are ways in which we can help. I will send you more information by email.
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Hi everyone!
Same situation here. Have users that are asking for the iOS version of our already released Spanish version android DBS app but no way to convert it to iOS as I don’t have a Mac nor a way to get one new or second hand, right now. I wonder if someone in the local SIL office or any other local ministry could help with the conversion. Living in CM Thailand.
Blessings
You would need to have done your registering with Apple. It is not as easy as with Android. Read the documentation in your SAB Help on building for iOS.
Also consider building a Progressive Web App with the HTML export and hosting that somewhere. It is not as good as an app but works on iOS, Android and desktops. It is a much easier solution if they only want to read the content.
I fully support the suggestion made by Ian and go for PWA like we did!