Everyone seems to have an opinion as to why their favorite mobile platform is better than the others. Some prefer iOS, others choose Android—each platform has its pros and cons. For me, however, iOS stands above the rest in large part due to its use of powerful native frameworks.

Sure, frameworks and libraries are not unique to iOS. But the scope, diversity, power, and simplicity of iOS frameworks is something I have yet to find in other platforms. Frameworks like Core Animation and Quartz Core make complicated animation effects simple and efficient in terms of power consumption, memory management, high frame rate, and so on. Core Location provides easy access to complicated GPS hardware with only a few lines of code. In short, these frameworks and others allow developers to rapidly produce the feature-rich apps users have come to expect.

Apple has made it easy to get started developing for iOS out of the box. To access the true power of iOS, however, you need to go beyond these simple tools and APIs. Experienced app developer Shawn Welch teaches you how to tap into the true potential of iOS by incorporating some of the most powerful technologies it has to offer.

Using Core Data and iCloud, you'll learn how to store information locally and sync seamlessly across multiple devices and platforms. Leverage iOS 5's new Twitter APIs, which provide painless Twitter and OAuth support using the new Accounts framework. Use Location Services to incorporate new iOS 5 features, such as reverse geolocation lookup and region notifications. Incorporate rich media into  your apps using Graphics, Animation, Audio, Video, and post-processing photo filters and analysis through Core Image. Finally, explore Newsstand, which lets you create your own periodical content and push new content to devices, even when the app is not running.