Apple launches iAd Producer

> Apple has announced the release of [iAd Producer](http://developer.apple.com/iad/iadproducer/), a tool that can be used by publishers to simplify the creation of campaigns for the company’s iAd mobile advertising platform. > > The app, which runs on Mac OS X, provides a complete end-to-end workflow for creating ads. The user starts by selecting a target platform (the iPhone and iPad each require specifically-sized creative materials due to their different form factor) and then goes through a step-by-step selection process that allows them to create a splash screen, menu, and one or more content pages. Don’t make the mistake of assuming this is just about iAds. I would not be surprised if this little app is but a first step towards a full-blown professional development suite for general purpose HTML 5 web apps. After all, if Apple really wants to kill Flash,what better way than to provide the developer community with solid tools for building alternative rich media content?

The biggest issue that web apps have now is the lack of polished tools out there. Everything is still being hand-coded from scratch. An app that came directly from Apple, with Apple’s keen sense of UI ease would be a huge shot in the arm to HTML 5 taking off in a much bigger way. Such an app could kill Dreamweaver and Flash at once. Plus, it would help Apple promote Safari and other webkit-based browsers significantly. Help solidify those HTML and CSS standards that much quicker. AND it all would help iOS, of course.

What other company is in a position to provide such an application? Adobe? They have too much invested in Flash, so much so that Dreamweaver now barely scratches the surface of HTML 5. Microsoft? They want to promote Silverlight. Google? They couldn’t write a decent UI if their life depended on it.

I think iAd Producer is the first fruit of whatever team at Apple is working on this application. Call it a test balloon, or a toe in the water, if you want. But something bigger is on the horizon.