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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

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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