This past weekend at iPhoneDevCamp a group of individuals created a unique framework which allows web developers to format their web apps using API calls which take advantage of iPhone capabilities. PhoneGap’s mantra is “bridging the gap between the web and the iphone SDK” . We’ve just downloaded the source and will post follow up information shortly.

In the meantime, their about page explains “PhoneGap is a free open source development tool and framework that allows web developers to take advantage of the powerful features in the iPhone SDK from HTML and JavaScript. We’re trying to make iPhone app development easy and open. For many applications a web application is the way to but in Safari you don’t get access to the native iPhone APIs, and the that’s the problem we’re trying to solve.

PhoneGap was conceived at iPhoneDevCamp II by Nitobi developer Brock Whitten, Rob Ellis, freelance designer Colin Toomley and Eric Oesterle.”

The JavaScript API documentation shows support for Geo Location and Accelerometer with pending support for camera, sound and vibration.

Theres also an iPhone App Generator section on their website where you can convert your webapp to a native app by submitting several perameters.

Check it out at http://www.phonegap.com for more technical detail and to download the source or turn your webapp native. And let us know what you think in the comments.

EDIT-As noted in the comments, the compiler portion of the PhoneGap site is no longer active, but will be returning shortly. The article has also been slightly edited to more accurately reflect the technology.

-Shaun Mackey

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