Daring Fireball has a video rundown of Apple's 'pastrykit' Web app framework that was used to build the iPhone User Guide (demo below). That includes Mobile Safari's ability to run full HTML5 applications with offline database storage. Google uses this offline storage DB for Gmail, for example, so that you can write emails from Safari when AT&T is being AT&T.
But PastryKit is much more than just offline storage (Gruber is gaga over scrolling but there are other features, such as blocking out the nav and URL bars, as well). This looks like the beginings of a new way for developers to build quality iPhone apps but bypass the App Store. But will Apple release it to the public?
It seems like a lot of effort to build a framework this rich just for this iPhone User Guide, so I’m hopeful the answer is yes. Perhaps something integrated with the next major release of
