Well, would you look at that. Apple apparently wants third party applications on the iPhone and iPod touch just like every other sane individual on the planet. The company just announced on its Hot News feed (and we'd say this certainly qualifies as such), that it is currently at work on an SDK for the iPhone, the apps from which will naturally work on the iPod touch. Apparently it's going to take 'em until February to do it up right -- you know, secure and stable and all that nonsense -- but this is certainly a beautiful breath of fresh air. Less excitingly, Apple claims that it agrees with Nokia's approach of "digital signatures" for applications, meaning that Apple gets to say who qualifies for entrance onto its hallowed devices as was
rumored last week; though who's to say what exactly that will look like just yet. But even with that caveat, we suppose we should take what we get from this sometimes benevolent, but never aesthetically challenged, dictator of ours and eat it like we're told.
[Thanks, Dennis S.]
Related stories:What iPhone apps do you want to see?
Polls: Special iPhone SDK Edition
posted Oct 17th 2007 11:16AM
hey I'm insane and I want them too!
apple has to hurry up or is gonna loose the mobile bandwagon.
Crap, my 3rd party app was going to be a virus. Now what am I going to develop?
I for one will be glad when it gets introduced. Then maybe these people will STFU about their lack of iPhone applications. I swear they should just get some WinMobile 6 or Symbian handset for the time being and let the iPhone get some development time. You'd think their world was coming to an end or something. If something doesn't go their way immediately, it's bitchin' time.
When we bought the first Mac 128s when it was introduced, owners had to go through the same thing. I know. There were so few applications it was frustrating, but eventually they came. I was making apps and games using BASIC. An early Mac cost a hell of a lot more than a cheap-ass $400 iPhone and I wasn't asking for my money back or filing some dumb-ass lawsuit. Sometimes that's the way new platforms are. Ya gotta wait a while for everything to get into place.
Just have some patience, please. The iPhone isn't going away anytime soon.
What insane person DOES NOT want digital signatures on apps designed to work on their phone? Shouldn't people be able to trace these things back to a developer somewhere if a problem blossoms like a time-bomb long after the developer has packed up shop and vanished overnight? Engadget, don't put any onus on digital signatures. Recognize it for the diligent responsible move it is. M'kay?
The big takeaways from today's news:
1. Holiday season
2. App development starts in earnest *now* on hacked devices
3. SDK launch coincides with GPS iPhone launch
See my post:
http://community.eqo.com/blog/jeff/the_iphone_sdk_announcement_the_big_takeaways_from_todays_news
Cheers
@Cleverboy: They have to go about it correctly. I'm in charge of our company's Windows Mobile signing. They have one CA on the device: VeriSign. They charge $350 a year just to have a certificate, then $7 to sign ONE FILE on top of that! It's ridiculous. Nokia has also gone way overboard with S60 signing. If Apple has muliple CAs that it recognizes so there's healthy competition in buying an official cert so it's not an arm and a leg, that's fine. They also need to allow importing of certificates, too, so open source programs are encouraged, but I could see Apple not caring about that.
Native BabeVsBabe.com app ftw!
wow
Now here's to hoping for an awesome Calendar app that actually does justice!
Maybe even SBSH software can rig up their Papyrus app (which I LOVED LOVED LOVED on my series 60 Nokia E50) for the iPhone, Apple-style iCandy and all :)
And then, maybe a robust mail app for all the serious e-mailers out there.
Awesome. Way to go Steve... more open letters directly to the public.
Come on, we all know the routine:
1. Apple launches product
2. People rejoice at its awesomeness, buy immediately
3. People find faults with product, complain and whine
4. Apple creates solution to ease customers
5. Apple offers "what people want", get praised for listening to consumers
6. Apple's solution is launched, people find faults again
7. Repeat step 4-6
Well, they did see one thing coming that a lot of different people didn't totally notice: You get iMovie HD with the new iLife Suite if you download it from Apple.com . So I guess they try.
That pattern is not unique to Apple.
It's the pattern on which the entire markets exists.
Welcome to capitalism.
I think there need to be some in between steps, though:
1. Apple launches product
1.b) Plan gen 2 of product with 'some' of the foreseen problems resolved.
2. People rejoice at its awesomeness, buy immediately
3. People find faults with product, complain and whine
3.b) Assimilate feedback and slot resolution for Gen 3
4. Apple creates solution to ease customers (aka highly profitable, though only slightly different gen 2 of same product)
5. Apple offers "what people want", get praised for listening to consumers
6. Apple's solution is launched, people find faults again
6.b Confirm faults identified in step 6 are in the works for gen 4 and 5 launches,
then launch gen 3 product
7. Repeat step 4-6
Here's to hoping they can get all this crap straightened out by the time I need a new phone December '08
just needs 3G and I'm there.
Agreed. I have to say, this generation of the device is still just lacking too many features that I've come to expect and rely on in a smartphone. But Apple is taking it in the right direction now, and if they can squeeze in some of those features in the second-gen iPhone, I'm all over it.
For god's sake, the iPhone is not a smartphone! Rather, the iPhone is "smarter than your average phone." If anything, it's like your average community college kid who is not a total bum, but who is not as "capable" as your average Ivy-Leaguer. If you want the iPhone to get your email, it can do that! If you want your iPhone to take down some notes and check some maps, it can do that as well! "Higher-end" features such as corporate mail, GPS, cut and paste, and better organization options were cut out for a reason; simply because the average user has no use for them. If there's anything that the iPhone does well, it's internet browsing (which still has flaws, like no Flash support) and media playback.
Don't expect the iPhone to do what most smartphones can do. Expect it to do what its advertised to do, and do it exceedingly well. Sure it has its drawbacks, but I think it's one of the best devices I've owned...ever...hands down.
But the iPhone might transfer to a better college and finish its degree. Other "smartphones" are stuck as a freshman at an Ivy league. No one cares where you went it if don't graduate!
Wait... Cut and Paste is a High-End feature?
I was thinking the same thing, however, if it did officially become a smartphone with 3G, I bet ATT would classify it as a PDA, thus unlimited data would likely be $40/mo and that would make it a deal breaker for me.
I was about 2 hours away from getting a Tilt, now I may just get an iPhone.
I love my iPhone but I do miss my copy-and-paste & voice command from my old HTC Wizard.
A quote from Stevie-O
"Some companies are already taking action. Nokia, for example, is not allowing any applications to be loaded onto some of their newest phones unless they have a digital signature that can be traced back to a known developer. While this makes such a phone less than “totally open,” we believe it is a step in the right direction. We are working on an advanced system which will offer developers broad access to natively program the iPhone’s amazing software platform while at the same time protecting users from malicious programs."
I love it when you refer to Nokia and right direction at the same paragraph :)
I believe ALL smartphones (at least WM) are locked down this way...they are on what is called 2-tier security model...pocket pc phones are 1-tier.
No, my Pantech PN-820 WM5 phone on Verizon has no application locking whatsoever. I can install signed or unsigned apps on it with no problem.
$40 for unlimited data?! Shit..if Canadians could get there hands on an iPhone with that kind of data pricing, especialy from Rogers, of all companies, the worst you could possiby count on when it comes to data value(0.5Mb for 15$). 40$ for unlimeted data would be a God send. Bussiness and the even the major busisness acolite woudn't care if it didn't handle email to the utmost extreme, that kind of pricing would be the only reason to buy the damn thing. I mean..unlimited data in Canada! Under $400 month?!!! Hell Ya! To bad that even the option of "unlimited anything" doesn't exist up here..sigh..(Were going to get our Call Display feature increasied by a buck (Now $6)and limted to so many call..think its 2500..)
Has Apple commented on the lack of iPhone's apps on the iPod touch?
Why include the browser but no Maps and whatnot? (other than to encourage people to buy both)
Simple answer.
The iPhone has full access to those applications at all times, even when wifi is unavailable we can use them on EDGE.
The iPod touch loses that since it only works over wifi.
No, but the comment from Steve announcing this also mentions the SDK will work for the iPod Touch as well.
...and yet the Touch has the WiFi iTunes Music Store as one of it's "biggest" features.
So the real answer is that ONLY when Apple makes money with it, will it be allowed.
Apple gets a cut of all those monthly fees for the iPhone, therefore Mail and Maps are allowed.
Want a taste of the future of iPhone/Touch apps? Look at the success of iPod games.
Jason: Nope, wrong sir. the iTunes Store only works over WiFi, not EDGE, so it makes sense for it to be there. Google Maps is very useful, especially over EDGE (I just navigated my mother in law through North Carolina with my iPhone) so its not on the iPod Touch because you can't use it in the car.
"...and yet the Touch has the WiFi iTunes Music Store as one of it's "biggest" features. "
You know, it is called "WiFi iTunes Music Store" because it *only* works over WiFi, not EDGE ;)
With that said, yeah, there is no valid excuse for removing apps from the Touch or functionality from the apps they did incluse (can't add events in the calendar? Why not??)
@Matt: so you need EDGE to access Calendar editing then? And Notes too? Well blow me you learn something new every day!
As to this news - good news, because I was going to buy my Touch and do some serious jailbreaking. If they do offer apps AND not try to take the shirts off our backs ($5 an app sounds good to me) it might work. if they're talking apps at prices like $100 then it'll be back to jailbreak land!
@Ignacio
Jason was commenting on the fact that Apple makes money off the "Wifi iTunes Music Store" purchases and a cut of the Edge Data plans from at&t. Maps and Mail should be on the Touch though, The only reason I can see apple doing that is just to save some space on the memory for more music and video since it is mainly a media player. That or the Starbucks feature eats up enough bandwith that they don't want to kill the Starbucks hotspot with people checking there mail and getting streamed music and everything else especially during peak hours.
Makes me want the iPhone. Maybe I'll have to buy an unlocked one from france, god knows what horrible plans Rogers are going to offer in Canada...
that just made my morning.
Great news!
Although I totally agree with him about viruses and malware. There have been a few things on Sprint Samsung phones (and I would imagine other phones, but I have a samsung one) that makes them really, really, REALLY annoyed if you pull down some 3rd party apps.
With the iPhone, when you jailbreak it you are leaving yourself unprotected. Very much unprotected. AKA a 3rd party app could easily brick your phone. The last thing Steve wants is 500 people lined up at the genius bar so they can get their phone flashed (if that is even possible.)
you should start using unlocked GSM smartphone and know the REAL 3rd party goodness because all locked phones (even though it's smartphone) are dumbed down by the carriers
I got a dev key from Sprint for my phone and I run a GPS-equipped google-maps (which also can display MSFT Live, Yahoo Maps, etc)
EVDO is a gift from god.
Now make it SIM unlocked. So I can switch SIMs at any time to any vendor and not have to reactivate with my computer.
either use anySIM 1.1.1 now or wait for France Unlocked iPhone :)
haha, you hackers got pwned!
More like "Haha, I should thank the hackers for forcing Apple's hand and making them realize that they made a bad decision to lock out 3rd party apps."
Lack of #rd party support is STILL the reason I don't have an iPhone. As for "protecting users", let them protect themselves. There's a really simple solution to this: If a user loads a third party unsigned app to their phone, then they get no support unless an Apple tech can hard-reset the phone to its original state. That's all that is needed to protect both Apple (from having to support unsupportable sw) and consumers who want or need to develop their own applications for the iPhone/Touch.
I can somewhat support Apple for locking out 3rd party apps... think about this: How many of us have installed some app on our machines and found out that it was a huge memory/cpu hog and then try to uninstall and find out the app left garbage all over the place.
Now imagine that you put a bad app on your phone and it starts chewing up a lot of the carrier's bandwidth. Now what? I can see a bunch of bad apps taking down part of the cellular network, just like it happens when there are too many users.
So for Nokia, Apple, whoever to certify apps doesn't seem like too much of a stretch to me.
what does pwned mean?
@Steven Haskayne
Google it.
Great news and certainly a step in the proper direction. Hopefully they will continue to listen to their early adopters about the changes that customers want.
Flash support and 3G would be more huge steps.
So Apple has no plans to release those Application on the iPod touch?
Your response is BS marketing spin in my opinion. Why include the browser then? There's no technical reason to not include the apps. The only reason is to encourage people to buy both a $300-$400 iPod touch AND an iPhone at the same price.
Even if I don't want my phone to be my MP3 player.. or i dunno.. I'm not on AT&T.
I'll ask again, has Apple commented on this? Any plans to include them in the future?
it's about friggin time!