Why You Should Learn To Develop iOS Applications8794911
I'm sure you're conscious of the explosion in popularity of iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad applications. Even if you don't own one of these devices, you've probably noticed 1 of Apple's commercials displaying how amazingly fun or useful all their apps are.
Businesses are getting into the app craze by the thousands. Not only are new companies becoming formed to build apps, but many existing businesses are building their personal apps, either as an extra revenue stream or just as a way to develop their brand.
In fact, a lot of companies are starting to think of apps as the new website: every business should have 1!
Here's something to believe about: who's actually developing all these apps?
There's currently a massive disparity between supply and demand when it comes to iOS development. The iOS platform didn't even exist 3 years ago, and suddenly there are tens of thousands of companies and people desperately searching for individuals to develop their apps.
It's a great time to be an iOS developer. Clearly new app companies have a require for developers, but even the large established businesses need people. You don't have to look far to find places looking to hire, and you can also do great working as a consultant or freelancer. Many businesses aren't looking to develop an app in-house if app development isn't a core part of their business.
In addition, no matter where you're located in the world, there most likely isn't a lot of outsourcing for iOS development. It's just too new a platform. Off-shore development shops like to concentrate on big, established platforms for which certifications are available. This is why.NET and other Microsoft platforms are so massive in the outsourcing world, whilst open source platforms are comparatively limited. The iOS platform is still only a few years old, and Apple has yet to produce an official certification plan.
I expect this demand is only going to continue, at least in the short term of the subsequent few years. The iPhone is still hugely popular, and is continuing to be added to new carriers, which indicates new users. The iPad's development has been enormous even in the relatively short time it's been accessible.
An additional aspect not to discount is the Mac App Shop. I anticipate it to only get more popular as it becomes additional integrated with Mac OS X Lion. If you're an iOS developer, it's only a extremely brief jump to building Mac apps.
Learning to develop apps doesn't have to be hard -- although the language, Objective-C, is new to most, there's lots of documentation accessible, whether or not it be from Apple's website, books, courses, or on-line tutorials. Even if you're currently employed, it's a fantastic ability to have in your back pocket.