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Wait. Why do you have to choose?

What's wrong with the following pattern: 1. build an HTML5 app 2. build a native app that embeds a Web control 3. package the app and HTML5 app together using application cache 4. distribute on AppStore

You get the a) offline support b) monetization c) distribution via AppStore

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the html5 app won't be capable of using device specific input, such as accelerometer, compass, multitouch, etc. All of that is not yet part of the html 5 spec. So when we compare html5 vs mobile apps it's just an apples against bananas type of comparison

Well, the strategy i'm describing involves a native app. In that case, would it be possible to expose device-specific API to JavaScript?

Also, multi-touch is actually supported by webkit. There a nice WWDC video that intoduces this capability if you'd like to learn more.

To be clear the idea above isn't new of course. For instance http://www.appcelerator.com/ provides a native app with a thin wrapper around a web control.

Phonegap provides a thin wrapper around a webview. Titanium changed course with their 1.0 version, and now compiles the Javascript to native code. (they used to do the webview thing).

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