One of the main drawbacks for the “truly” mass market development of iPhone apps has been the iPhone SDK (Software Development Kit) which you need to write an test an iPhone app. The problem with the SDK are;
a) it’s only available on a Mac
b) it’s an Apple proprietary version of programming language C
c) because it’s mac-only SDK you have to buy a Mac to get it to work – cunning plan of Apple’s to increase Mac sales full marks.
So we received a great bit of news this morning, when we received a release from Zimusoft. The American software developer has created DragonFireSDK.com to build a bridge between Windows and the iPhone: DragonFireSDK.com For the first time, Windows developers can fully code and debug iPhone Apps without ever leaving Windows.
The DragonFireSDK product consists of a cross-platform Library and an iPhone Simulator. Windows programmers see an on-screen iPhone Simulator running their code. When the App is complete, an App Bundle is prepared that will run on the iPhone and is ready for submission to the Apple iPhone App Store. Games made in Windows with DragonFireSDK are already being shipped.
DragonFireSDK costs just (£69.53) $99.95 and Zimusoft claim that “Windows programmers will pick it up and create a small game in a weekend.”
Clint Brock, Zimusoft’s DragonFireSDK Product Champion said, “We understand that there are thousands of programmers who would enjoy entering the iPhone digital playground. We also know that they have day jobs programming in Windows and would prefer a solution that they can enjoy this weekend – not after weeks of learning Objective-C and spending thousands of dollars to buy a Mac.”
For an explanation of how it works watch the following video.