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iOS Developer moving to WP8 - Not easy, Microsoft make it so difficult...I may give in...
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So I'm a iOS developer and I'm keen to prototype and possibly move to WP8 but it just seems problem after problem and I haven't written a line of code yet. So here's what I've experienced so far....
* I have a Macbook Pro (i7) and set about installing Windows 8 & Visual Studio 2012 as a virtual machine, all was looking good. Then when I attempted to run a sample app suddenly discovered that the WP8 emulator runs as a another virtual machine. It's not a good idea to run VM's within VM's and initially this didn't work until I upgraded VMWare Fusion to v5 so an additional 50.
* Because of the problems with the emulator I then went and purchased a Nokia Lumia 920, all excited and ready to go, but then I hit the problem that the device needs registering before it can be used. Having researched this further I then discover that to register a device you need a developer account, which costs $99 the $8 option is no longer available.
So for existing Apple developers who are not prepared to buy new laptops or desktops there appears to be no way to test apps that are developed without further expenditure even after spending 500 on a WP8 device. I'm really hoping I've missing something here' but it's not looking good, as devices have only just become available way has the discounted developer account been removed?11-22-2012 03:58 PMLike 0 - Yes and no, like Microsoft, Apple also charges $99 for the privilege of using and testing on physical devices (so we have already invested 500 in hardware), but a least the Apple simulators are integrated into the development IDE and do not use overly complex virtual machine technology.11-22-2012 04:20 PMLike 0
- It's an option but I'm already running XP & Linux as VM's, Microsoft & Nokia need all the help they can get with their smartphones OS and I shouldn't have these sorts of issues just to get started. Android developers can develop on multiple platforms using Eclipse and without paying to become a developer. I'm happy to pay the developer fees once I have evaluated the platform and developed my app but not before.11-22-2012 04:42 PMLike 0
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- These really sound like reasonable expectations from MS.
If you don't use Windows natively, yes, it will be harder. That's not Microsoft's issue.
Just like I can't develop iPhone apps at all on a Windows PC.
Instead of getting the Lumia920, maybe you should have bought a cheap PC.11-22-2012 04:52 PMLike 0 - These really sound like reasonable expectations from MS.
If you don't use Windows natively, yes, it will be harder. That's not Microsoft's issue.
Just like I can't develop iPhone apps at all on a Windows PC.
Instead of getting the Lumia920, maybe you should have bought a cheap PC.
Just add the costs up and you will realise that you have to sell a lot of apps before you can even break even regardless of what platform you start with, having to buy seperate hardware for each environment is far too expensive. ( PC, OS, antivirus, test hardware, developer accounts etc etc )11-22-2012 05:32 PMLike 0 - I don't think MS's focus is to try to lure lukewarm hobbyists from other platforms. It would be nice, sure. But I don't imagine that is where they are going to choose to invest their resources.
There are tons of developers who own PCs. They're focused on getting them before they can even think of the ones that don't even own a PC.11-22-2012 05:36 PMLike 0 - 'lukewarm hobbyists' sorry to say that its my full time job and having been involved in the development of both iPhone & iPad apps for one of the UK's top retailers does mean that I'm more than a hobbyist.
It is people like myself who create proof of concept apps that are then demo'ed to senior board members that Microsoft MUST/NEED to encourage, its the big brand names and apps that make the platform a success. I cannot keep going back to my managers saying I need more hardware to be able to develop on platform 'X' after they have just spent hundreds of pounds on other hardware. They will just stick with what they already have, iOS & Android platforms as these platforms are already costing thousands and thousands of pounds to develop and support.
Even if you are a dedicated developer the hardware requirements just for the emulator are high:-
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/For...1-0c273e1dfd6811-22-2012 05:53 PMLike 0 -
(WP8) Minimum system requirements to install the WP8 SDK tools11-22-2012 06:20 PMLike 0 - Because I didn't need one, I have two perfectly good high spec laptops that both run Windows 8 perfectly well, it was only the emulator issue that meant that I needed a handset. Also being a professional developer I know the importance of testing on real hardware, it was a failing on my part not to know that it is unusable without a developer account, but this isn't made very clear during all the marketing and developer posts.11-22-2012 06:38 PMLike 0
- I guess MS will have to wait before they can really attract developers in your situation.
Expanding the platforms you support is a risk. And yes, risks do cost time and money.
You have what could potentially be a really good ground floor opportunity in Windows 8 and Windows Phone (since they have similar development environments), but at the same time, it may not pan out. You can also take the wait and see approach, but by then you may be going into a saturated market, missing out on some of the opportunities that only happen early on.
Ah, the risks of business. I wish you luck. It's a tough business to be in for sure.11-22-2012 06:47 PMLike 0 - 'lukewarm hobbyists' sorry to say that its my full time job and having been involved in the development of both iPhone & iPad apps for one of the UK's top retailers does mean that I'm more than a hobbyist.
It is people like myself who create proof of concept apps that are then demo'ed to senior board members that Microsoft MUST/NEED to encourage, its the big brand names and apps that make the platform a success. I cannot keep going back to my managers saying I need more hardware to be able to develop on platform 'X' after they have just spent hundreds of pounds on other hardware. They will just stick with what they already have, iOS & Android platforms as these platforms are already costing thousands and thousands of pounds to develop and support.
Even if you are a dedicated developer the hardware requirements just for the emulator are high:-
(WP8) Emulator (XDE) Troubleshooting Tips
I do iOs development too and it's pretty much the same story on that side. At work we purchased two iPads and two iPods just for testing. You can't trust the emulator all the time, I see things in Leaks when I am testing on my device that the emulator didn't catch. And at home I develop on my $1500 iMac and test on my wife's iPhone.
It costs some money to get started, but it's much cheaper than starting out from scratch in the iOS realm.11-22-2012 07:08 PMLike 0 -
give me a break...fighting crime and putting out burning buildings is tough business. i've got no sympathy for white collar problems. my advice is to put on your big boy pants and get the tools you need to succeed, or keep fighting for scraps in the iOS world.11-22-2012 09:59 PMLike 0 -
Developing apps is a tough BUSINESS. It's extremely competitive, and it can be difficult to earn a decent living.
Though I imagine you knew that. You were just trying to be difficult.- Share
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11-23-2012 12:08 PMLike 2 - Share
- Student = free Windows 8 + free visual studio 2012 ultimate + free apphub registration 😃
Everything runs fine on my macbook air under boot camp, but i will agree emulator through hyper v and 64bit os requirements are complete pain!
Sent from my Windows Phone 8X by HTC using Board Express- Share
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summer600 likes this.11-27-2012 02:09 AMLike 1 - Share
- ^^ Agree with RyanR47.
I'm an Android dev moving to WinPhone8. I use a MBA 2012 (for now) running Windows 8 w/ boot camp and the emulator runs insanely well. I still love both android and wp8, but the wp8 emulator run in win8 is a complete joy to work with compared to the jellybean emulator in osx.
OP - all you gotta do is run bootcamp and all your problems are solved :)02-27-2013 01:06 AMLike 0 - It seems like with the time the OP has spent *****ing about this in this thread, he could have set up W8 through bootcamp and be building his app already.
iOS has to be one of the worst OSes to develop for, yet this guy is complaining about WP because he can't just do a simple bootcamp install, the way MOST people run Windows on a Mac?- Share
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Laura Knotek likes this.02-27-2013 01:34 AMLike 1 - Share
- I use Windows 8 on my MacBook Pro. No issues, and from what I've seen, no lag either, even when using the emulator. This is a 13" dual-core i3 MBP too. The basic MBP, which has specs that were last seen on Windows in 2005. I can develop for iOS, WP, Android, and BBOS. I only develop for WP though, but have paid to develop for WP, Android, and BBOS.02-27-2013 05:40 AMLike 0
- @a18041967: just use an edu email and you can register a developer account for free.
you can find the tutorial how to do that easily.
Or you can take a look at this program from Nokia, they offer a great opportunity for developer:
http://www.developer.nokia.com/Devel..._program.xhtmlLast edited by longnd; 02-28-2013 at 04:33 AM.
02-27-2013 05:57 AMLike 0 - Don't give up. Do you just develop prototypes to win company's business or do you develop apps in a personal capacity as well? Do you have any iOS apps that you were thinking of bringing to WP?
The common theme appears to be 'install W8 through Bootcamp'. Why not give it a try and let us know how you get on?02-27-2013 06:08 AMLike 0 - It seems like with the time the OP has spent *****ing about this in this thread, he could have set up W8 through bootcamp and be building his app already.
iOS has to be one of the worst OSes to develop for, yet this guy is complaining about WP because he can't just do a simple bootcamp install, the way MOST people run Windows on a Mac?02-28-2013 04:52 PMLike 0
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iOS Developer moving to WP8 - Not easy, Microsoft make it so difficult...I may give in...
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