iPad Application Development For Dummies, 3rd Edition

Embracing the iPad’s Limitations

Along with all those features, however, the iPad has some limitations. The key to successful app development — and to not making yourself too crazy — is to understand those limitations, live and program within them, and even learn to love them. (It can be done. Honest.) These constraints help you understand the kinds of applications that are right for this device.

Often, it’s likely that if you can’t do something (easily, anyway) because of the iPad’s limitations, then maybe you shouldn’t.

The iPad evolved from the iPhone and iPod touch, and there are related limitations you need to consider, as well as a few things left out. So learn to live with and embrace some facts of iPad life:

Users have fat fingers. You may think that the iPad’s larger display makes that relatively easy to deal with, but keep in mind that you may want to design a multiuser app for the iPad that takes into account multiple fingers. (Anyone for a nice game of Touch Hockey?)

Memory and battery power are limited, just like on an iPhone or iPod touch. This limitation may or may not be a decisive factor, depending on what kind of app you want to create, but smaller apps generally ...