Existing HTML / JS and Web Page widgets can be used by millions of iPhone and iPod Touch users. Users of both devices do not need to install or purchase special software. The mobile Safari web browser built into both uses the same technology as the Safari desktop web browser already supported by Widgetbox.
iPhone and iPod Touch users can access a gallery that contains widgets optimized for their devices at iphone.widgetbox.com. If you’d like to have your HTML / JS or Web Page widget added to this gallery, follow the design guidelines below and tag your widget with the keyword “iphone”.
Widget Design Standards for the iPhone and iPod Touch
The experience of using and viewing a widget on an iPhone or iPod Touch is different than using the same widget on a desktop browser. While your existing HTML / JS and Web Page widget might function without alteration, your widget should be optimized to make the best use of the iPhone and iPod Touch while maintaining compatibility with desktop browsers.
Size and Resolution
The physical size and pixel resolution of the iPhone and iPod Touch screen is much lower than a standard laptop or desktop monitor. HTML / JS and Web Page widgets, when used on an iPhone or iPod Touch, should make full use of the screen. The same widget should only occupy a part of a page when viewed through a desktop browser.
Fortunately, the optimal width of an iPhone and iPod Touch widget is a size that’s also optimal for placement on a web page. The pixel width of an iPhone and iPod Touch is lower in landscape mode than in portrait mode. Therefore, the maximum widget width should be 290 pixels. The height can be variable.
Widgets that make use of Widgets Settings (other than height and width) are not supported at this time.
The iPhone and iPod Touch do not support Flash. Therefore HTML / JS and Web Page widgets that contain references to Flash files will not function.
Widgets that are successful on the web may not be as successful on the iPhone or iPod Touch. When a widget is placed on a web page, many people can interact with it in a single day and make a copy of it, though the Widgetbox Get Widget feature. When the same widget is placed on an iPhone or iPod Touch, the owner of the device is usually the only viewer.
Users might be accessing your widget on a slower EDGE / 2.5G cellular network. Attempt to minimize the amount of data your widget needs to transfer.
When a user installs your widget to their iPhone or iPod Touch, an icon is created on their device using the thumbnail image associated with your widget’s Widgetbox gallery entry.
Widgetbox web gallery thumbnail images are 96 x 96 pixels. The icon associated with each installed widget on the iPhone and iPod Touch is 56 x 56 pixels. Therefore, iPhone and iPod Touch users will not see parts of the image outside of the 56 x 56 pixel area.
Your iPhone and iPod Touch optimized HTML / JS and Web Page widget must also function in a desktop browser. Additionally, your widget must follow the existing Widget Publication Criteria.
Apple has published a number of documents that describe how to get started and test iPhone and iPod Touch widgets. You can access these documents by registering for free on Apple’s website.
http://developer.apple.com/webapps/
Also, we recommend you use Apple’s Dashcode to test your widgets in addition to testing your widget in desktop Safari, Internet Explorer and Firefox environments.
