Chapter 10. iTunes API, iPad, and iAd—MusicSearch
Integrating various systems seems to be a big area of growth for technology in general, and especially in the mobile world. A growing number of apps let you post to Twitter, the Facebook app can sync with your contacts, and ShareKit will let you integrate with a variety of online options.
Another great app for integration is iTunes. The iTunes API is easy-to-understand JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) text, which can be parsed and scavenged for interesting data.
Two other growing areas for development are with the iPad and iAds. Both were launched with a great deal of hype and continue to grow. The iPad has sold a record number of devices, and I don’t think advertising is going to disappear anytime soon, either.
In this chapter we’ll look at these three items—the iTunes API, the iPad/iPod, and iAds—and learn how to integrate them with an app. You’ll create an app that searches music through the iTunes API, displays the results, and allows you to preview songs. You’ll convert that app to universal binary for both the iPhone/iPod and the iPad. Then you’ll add iAds to the app, so it will be full of Apple-related content.
A quick online search of “iTunes api” returns plenty of results. Look for results with a real Apple URL and you’ll find plenty of information on the API.