The document discusses tips for migrating GIS applications to mobile. It covers the differences between desktop and mobile, and three approaches: a web app plus native mobile app; a web app plus hybrid/responsive web app; or a web app only. Key tips include starting prototyping, analyzing usage, re-evaluating workflows, expecting to rewrite code for mobile, testing on multiple devices, and understanding browser differences. The presenter is Andy Gup from Esri who then demonstrates a mobile GIS application.

1. Migrating to Mobile GIS
Tips for Success
Andy Gup

2. Agenda
Walk away with 6 migration tips
Differences between desktop and mobile
3 Approaches

3. Who am I?
Andy Gup, Esri
Tech Lead for Web APIs and Android
Esri Developer Network
agup@esri.com
http://blog.andygup.net
@agup

4. Who are you?

5. No longer just building for one screen size
1920x1080

6. Your Choices
Web app
1. +
Native mobile app
Web app
2. +
Web mobile app
(a.k.a Hybrid)
3. Web app only
(a.k.a Responsive)

7. Development Skills (a generalization)
Desktop Mobile Hybrid Native
HTML + HTML +
JavaScript JavaScript
Fewer Skills More Skills

8. How mature?
X X
1991 2012
iPhone 1 Android v1.5
June 2007 April, 2009
Sources: html5rocks.com, Wikipedia, W3C

9. if(device == mobile)
{
difference1: expectations,
difference2: look_and_feel,
difference3: capabilities,
difference4: performance
}

10. Wait…how do I pan and zoom the map??

11. Hmmm…how many map layers do I load?
VS.
1 GB RAM 16 GB RAM

12. How come my map loads so slooow?
VS.
Mostly connected Always connected

13. My survey crews use GPS heavily…
VS.
Limited battery Unlimited power

14. Desktop Web App
One size fits all
Works with most desktop browsers
Works across Windows, Mac, Linux
Mobile web did not exist
No GPS, camera, SD card

15. Using desktop app on smartphone

16. Native Mobile App
Targeted only to specific devices
Targeted only to specific OS versions
Direct access to GPS, camera, SD Card
Requires specialized development skills

17. Native devices
!= !=

18. Native devices
ArcGIS SDK for Android
ArcGIS SDK for iOS
ArcGIS SDK for Windows Phone

19. Native devices
Java C# Objective C
Many OS versions Limited OS versions Limited OS versions
Many different Limited number of devices Very limited number of
manufacturers devices
IDE = Visual Studio
Many different screen types IDE = Xcode
OEM variations in OS
IDE = Eclipse

20. Responsive Web App (circa >= 2011)
Tailors content and view based on browser type
No direct access to GPS, camera, SD card
Works with many different desktop and mobile browsers
Works across Windows, Mac, Linux

21. Responsive Web App

22. ArcGIS API for JavaScript - Compact
http://esriurl.com/compactJS
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://serverapi.arcgisonline.com/jsapi/arcgis/?v=3.1compact">

23. arcgis.com
1440 x 900 480 x 800 hdpi

24. Web app that looks native
Portrait Landscape

25. Mobile JavaScript frameworks…
The challenge

26. Hybrid App
Looks and acts like a native app
Re-uses existing web content
Works across different devices
Access to GPS, camera, SD Card
Requires fewer specialized skills than native

27. Hybrid App
Android SDK
+ ArcGIS
JavaScript +
Mobile
=
Java Project
JavaScript
Framework

28. Hybrid Web Apps

29. Examples of Hybrid Web Apps
http://www.phonegap.com/app

30. Hybrid Web App Platforms

31. Migration suggestion #1
Start prototyping today

32. Migration suggestion #2
Analyze existing usage

33. Mobile usage stats for my website?
Web Server logs
Web analytic tools

34. Sample web-site stats from esri.com

35. Migration suggestion #3
Re-evaluate ALL use cases and workflows
?
? ?

36. Migration suggestion #4
Expect to re-write code
When in doubt, discard and re-write

37. Migration suggestion #5
Buy as many test devices as possible

38. Migration suggestion #6
Dig deep into browser differences

39. Understand browsers

40. caniuse.com

41. Demo
Putting it all together

43. Andy Gup, Esri
Tech Lead for Web APIs and Android
Esri Developer Network
agup@esri.com
http://blog.andygup.net
@agup