Binaries, source outed for first 3rd party iPhone app

It's still a little way off from meaning anything to the average user, but the enterprising folks over at iPhone Dev Wiki have finally turned out binaries and source code for their very first compiled iPhone app. Of course, all it does is spit out the ubiquitous programmer shout-out "Hello World," but make no mistake -- this is a huge step in getting usable, real-world apps into end users' hands without Apple's or AT&T's official blessing, and the fact that anyone can download this source and roll their own proof of concept is pretty darned comforting. "Hello World," indeed.

[Via TUAW]

[Mitch R. @ Jul 29th 2007 10:45PM]

Heeeeeey

[humpty @ Jul 29th 2007 10:58PM]

Why is the iFone OS full of holes?

[Miles @ Jul 29th 2007 11:12PM]

Everything is full of holes idiot.

Windows just has the most.

[Greg Poole @ Jul 30th 2007 12:46AM]

Not sure if that warranted a comment about Windows... Makes you sound a bit like an Apple zealot ; )

"I don't like the iPhone."
"Yeah well... your mum's fat!"

[Steve @ Jul 29th 2007 10:59PM]

I just donated an Apple I-PHONE to the Dennis Kucinich campaign. Hopefully this news will help him with the campaign! Go Dennis!

[Steve @ Jul 29th 2007 11:00PM]

I've had enough of this hooey. The I-PHONE is great, you obviously don't have one.

[TeJay @ Jul 29th 2007 11:13PM]

So much for not linking to the Dev Wiki, eh?

[Miles @ Jul 29th 2007 11:14PM]

I think these hackers are looser who need to get a life.

They sit around doing illegal things with devices such as the iPhone and open up all these holes.

They should be put into jail.

[letstakeawalk @ Jul 29th 2007 11:25PM]

It's a hobby. It's their phone, and it's a challenge. I'm not even an Apple fan, but I respect people who can make their toys dance to the tune they want played, and I think this potential is good for the iPhone, and the whole smartphone sector.

[Dan @ Jul 29th 2007 11:31PM]

The holes are already opened. They just... make them bigger, in order to squeeze fun things through them.

Why does my description of a hole sound like it's some sort of muscle?

[Greg Poole @ Jul 30th 2007 12:50AM]

Apparently you don't understand what they're doing. The holes are already there, they're exploiting them to open up new possibilities for development of third party software on the iPhone. You shouldn't be worried about white-hat hackers; they give Apple a chance to fix any critical bugs before the black hats get in there and benefit the rest of us with quality, free software because Apple can't or won't offer it.

[JeffM @ Jul 30th 2007 12:52AM]

Smart guy,

You own the device, you can do with it as you please - there is nothing illegal about running compiled source on your iPhone - it may not make Apple or AT&T happy but they really don't have any say in the matter until you start breaking laws with your phone on their network, which is certainly not the goal of these homebrew hobbyists.

[kirby @ Jul 30th 2007 2:46AM]

Jeff,

That's wrong, when you purchase the iPhone, and turn it on, you are agreeing to a software license. By clicking those next buttons you agree by the contract, and it states that you won't modify the OS in anyway, because you aren't the patent holder/copyright holder, nor are you licensed to do so as well.

This goes way before the phone even touches the network, e.g. ATT. They are breaking Apple's Contract and it's up to them to sue, send a C&D letter, or let it happen for more populairty.

Of course, if the latter ever happens, you can count on thousands of fanboys on both sides never forgetting it, plus not to mention negative publicity on Apple's side.

[eqsf @ Jul 30th 2007 3:43AM]

i fail to see how such a contract can possibly be made. it's in your own home and it's your device, i don't see any way a contract can bind you. their contract could potentially say that if an apple phone is found to be modified, that at&t will stop servicing it, or that it's illegal to use a modified phone on at&t's network, but i can't see it being possibly illegal. it's like signing a contract with your cellphone provider that says you won't eat bananas. do you really think that will legally bind? i think i have just as much right to eat bananas as modify bits on electronics i own.

another thing i'm wondering is how this is a breakthrough. i thought it was supposed to run full OS X, so why can't i just load any OS X app?

[RedBull Runner @ Jul 30th 2007 6:05AM]

Kirby. When you agree to that contract saying that you will not modify the OS. it means you will not modify the OS. it says nothing about creating your own binaries to run third party code on it. Doing that is not modifying the device in any way, shape, or form. When you install third party programs on your computer, are you breaking the EULA that comes with windows (or the license agreement that belongs to your specific OS) by doing that?

[Jo @ Jul 30th 2007 12:02PM]

@kirby
Since when is writing an application considered modifying the OS? When I write a 'hello world' application for Debian, have I hacked my kernel? If I write a chat client for Windows, have I broken my license agreement to not change the OS? They are NOT modifying the OS. They're using preexisting holes in the fence to get to new places to play.

[Phred @ Jul 29th 2007 11:21PM]

And when Apple rolls out the first (and probably every subsequent) update through iTunes you can kiss all that work goodbye.

@humpty - These aren't "holes" in the sense that you mean them, as a means for infecting the iPhone with viruses and malware, since the user has to be heavily involved in installing the "app".

[JuggleNuts @ Jul 29th 2007 11:27PM]

Let me know when the software comes out to make it about $300 and just a video iPod ... the phone is nice, but I like the one I have. The traditional iPod needed a facelift anyways, but I'm not wealthy enough for a $600 mp3 player.

[Paul @ Jul 30th 2007 1:01AM]

I hope Engadget realizes they're inherently breaking the rules of the wiki by linking to it directly.
http://iphone.fiveforty.net/wiki/index.php/Popularity_Problem

[Chris Ziegler @ Jul 30th 2007 1:04AM]

Removed - thanks for the heads-up on that, Paul.

Chris

[R. C. @ Jul 30th 2007 2:12AM]

You should remove this link too.

[Paul @ Jul 30th 2007 2:27AM]

Hmm, well the wiki only specifies no mention of the site on major sites/in news articles..no mention of in comments, but R.C. makes a valid point. If deemed necessary, my comment should be removed also.

[Paul @ Jul 30th 2007 1:38AM]

No problem, but someone also pointed it out at slashdot (http://hardware.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=257227&cid=20031533) and the editors did nothing. Glad to know Engadget reads the comments and responds/takes action in a timely manner :]

[jilie @ Jul 30th 2007 8:22AM]

this stuff is WAREZ!

Engadget keep up the good warez work!

[rockintom @ Jul 30th 2007 10:24AM]

Um... are you stupid? How is it warez if they are giving away *their* own programs. Open source ones, at that.

[Frankenstein Black @ Jul 30th 2007 9:01AM]

*As Sir Jobs and his minions sit back, watch the homebrew smoke and contemplate the next iPhone patch move" New features? New functions? Only time will tell.

Mean while, this is cute and all but how is that SIM Un----, oh never mind :^(...

[bjohnson1409 @ Jul 30th 2007 1:49PM]

A Modified iPhone/6G iPod with XBMC remote interface installed , Modified Xbox running XBMC networked to your PC , and hooked up to your Home theater , and A wireless router. Equals a media center with a touch screen remote control. assuming the 6G is going to be touch screen and WiFi and will be hacked at some point.

[dj-kenpo @ Jul 30th 2007 1:59PM]

you could just use an old $100 pocketpc + wifi for that too. far easier to code for and cheaper. I heart xbmc 2.

[Steve @ Jul 30th 2007 2:41PM]

Were they able to give it the functionalities advertised in this authentic Apple commercial? http://youtube.com/watch?v=1xXNoB3t8vM

[Jeff Lewis @ Jul 30th 2007 4:02PM]

The real question is: will any typical iPhone owner USE these hacks? If Apple doesn't clobber them with each upgrade (much as they did at least at first with the Apple TV) you'll still be installing something onto the iPhone that Apple won't support in a way Apple won't support either.

Not to mention that this same tactic just leaves the door open for viruses and trojans.

Yeah.. this is such a good way to make the 'God Phone'... perfect?

[Bandit @ Jul 31st 2007 9:56PM]

It will depend on how good the real "full upgrade" is. I suspect if it addresses a lot of the complaints (ringtones, 3d party apps, voicemail reminders, MMS) then people will stop feeling the need to hack it.