Moonshell Development Platform
With Moonshell you can release any website as an iPhone App without having to learn Objective-C and even without having to buy an iPhone.
How Moonshell Works
Moonshell is an iPhone App development environment that includes a web-view that points to a server controlled by you. All you need to do to use it is adapt your website so you return HTML, CSS and Javascript that is optimized for display on the 320x480 iPhone screen if the request comes from an iPhone. We provide you with preview tools so you can test your app on the Internet or on an iPhone or iPod Touch if you have one. Once you are done we pretest your app to check compliancy with Apple’s standards and we submit your app to Apple. Because you control the server that serves the content you can change the data or behavior of your app at will as long as you adhere to Apple’s guidelines. Once Apple accepts your app it is available on the iTunes App store and Apple will distribute it at no charge to you.Moonshell is a platform that allows web developers familiar with HTML, CSS and Javascript to launch iPhone Apps without having to learn Objective-C and the Apple iPhone development environment. We will do all the interaction with Apple and you do not need to get your own Apple development account. As a matter of fact with Moonshell web developers can create iPhone apps without even owning an iPhone!
Moonshell is Invisible
Moonshell is an iPhone App platform written in Objective-C that includes a web-view that points to a server controlled by you. Moonshell is invisible to the iPhone user. Your web application takes up the entire screen on the iPhone and this means that you are in complete control of the look-and-feel and the functionality of the App. You control all of this in HTML, CSS and Javascript – the very same technologies you use to develop your websites. iPhone Apps using Moonshell can be just as fast as regular Apps that use data from the Internet.The first iPhone App using Moonshell was released this week; a band app for the artist John Nolan. If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch you can download the ‘John Nolan’ App onto your iPhone from the iTunes App store to see how Moonshell apps work. All pages in this app are served using Moonshell. You will notice that the Moonshell platform is completely invisible and the app is fast depending on your internet access speed. If you do not have an iPhone you can see how Moonshell Apps work at the following URL: http://johnnolan.thebandapp.com.
Moonshell is Easy
Using Moonshell is easy. All you need to do after you sign up is adapt your solution to return pages at a resolution of 320x480 and test them on Moonshadow's iPhone emulator. You can keep your iPhone code completely separate from your existing code, or integrate it. Since you can add features at will you can port the basic functionality of your site first and expand it later. This means you can get to market fast.The division of labor between you and Moonshadow eCommerce is simple and clear:
Moonshadow:
- All Objective-C
- All interaction with Apple
- All iPhone network connectivity issues
- All interaction with local storage (if needed)
- Playing of Music or Podcasts (optional at an extra charge)
- Compatibility with future iPhones and Operating Systems
You:
- All HTML, CSS & Javascript
- All database interaction (if data driven)
- All App navigation
- Maintain Servers, responsible for uptime
During the development process you never have to give Moonshadow access to your servers, your code or your data. You are completely responsible for the server side part of your application – just as you are now for your websites.
Moonshell saves you Time and Money
Using Moonshell will save you between $15,000 and $20,000 in development expenses and speed up your time to market by three months. We charge $695 for the use of Moonshell. Here’s what you are looking at if you want to develop this expertise yourself:| In-House Development | Months | Costs |
| Learning Curve New Language & Platform | 2 | 12,000 |
| Apple Computers, iPhones, Subscriptions | 1,000 | |
| Learning Curve Apple Approval Process | 1 | 6,000 |
| Administrative Time, Apple Fees | 1,000 | |
| Total Initial Investment | 3 | 20,000 |
| MoonShell Fee | 0 | 695 |
| Your Savings | 3 | 19,305 |
Moonshell charges a one-time fee. There are no ongoing expenses and there is no contract. You can replace your Moonshell app with your native Objective-C app at any time. So even if you plan to write your own Objective-C app in the future you can use Moonshell now to get to market quickly before your competitors do.
Get Started Today on your iPhone App
Give us a call or drop us an email. We accept all major credit cards and we can get you set up with a Moonshell account today. You can be working on your iPhone app in the next few hours!Moonshell Frequently Asked Questions
Moonshell Emulator
