Web Application Native SDK Application Pros Simpler deployment and updates; known technologies, cheaper to maintain; access to GPS information; basic offline support. Faster execution; access to address book, accelerometer, audio and camera; 3D games and animations; push notifications; Bonjour networking support. Cons Slower to execute; no access to hardware. App Store review process; longer update times.
• Great for browsing hierarchical information • Limited functionality, good for small apps • Acceptable performance on a 3G phone • “De facto standard” iPhone web library • Rails plugin: http://github.com/noelrappin/rails-iui • No skin / theme support (on the works)
• Much faster • Offline + location capabilities • Smoother transitions and animations • slide, slideup, dissolve, fade, flip, pop, swap, and cube • can add more animations via code • Slightly more complex • OK for JavaScript-literate developers