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.]
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Polls: Special iPhone SDK Edition
posted October 17th 2007 11:16AM
Uh.. you DO know that this is essentially what Jobs said he'd do right from the start? He implied that Apple would allow third party apps that THEY approved. It's right in the MacWorld keynote.
While it's a good first step - keep in mind, it does NOT mean 'everyone can write apps'. It means 'everyone can write apps, but WE get to choose which ones will be allowed to run on the iPhone.'
Closer to Smartphone - but still a miss.
Sorry, but Steve hedges everything he says so it comes off like a fortune cookie - applicable to anything they end up doing. Which means he really didn't say anything in the first place.
"There are great things in store for you."
Steve you didn't say anything about Purple iPods.
"I did, I said there are grape things in store for you. It was very clear. You must've misheard me.
Um, why February? How about.. last July?
SDK means "Software Developers Kit". It has all the tools a programmer needs in order to write software.
Are we going to have to pay for these apps?
I would guess so cause Eljobso wont do anything he cant get money off of.
I'm sorry...did you just ask if we are going to have to pay for *3rd party* apps and then imply that we will because Apple's greedy? Do you understand the concept of 3rd party?
Ya i did.
And a lot of the time you can get them for free.
Also Apple is EXTREMELY greedy.
Will this be on new iPhones only, or will it be put on existing phones via a firmware update?
That means I have till February to find out how to revirginize my touch so I don't get bricked come update time.
I love how people think that Apple was "forced" into this decision from bad press. Truth is this decision was probably mapped out from the beginning, with a sliding "range" date of -/+ 2 months.
Why tackle Leopard, Iphone Launch US, Ipod launch, Iphone Euro Launch, wifi I tunes all at the same time when you can spread em out ever 3rd and 4th quarter and keep you in the news? Many still question whether the 100$ early adopters credit wasnt a reaction as more a prepared action. I feel it was reactionary, simply because of Hubris du Jobs. But everything else on Apple's plate is probably on a roadmap scripted within a week or so of "Alpha" completion of thei iphone/touch platform.
Plus Apple already admitted they needed to delay Leopard for the iPhone launch....now that leopard is coming out, he can retask those resources back to the SDK.
Everyone who thinks this announcement came because of the hacker community is delusional.
Even though the iPhone is not entirely new (it does run OS X), there is a lot of new stuff to it. The UI, the gesture based interface (which is not complete yet), etc. It is a whole new platform. There are a lot of refinements that need to happen before it can be opened up to everyone. The developer infrastructure for development, support and distribution, the actual APIs that are only being used on the iPhone and iPod Touch, memory management, among a number of other things (security is a legit concern), need to all be set up.
Apple needs to get everything set up right so there is less of a headache when the actual SDK is out. Solid SDKs take time to put together and the iPhone is no different. Do I think Steve was wrong for saying the web apps are just as good as native apps, yes. But I am also not a moron and I don't think Steve is either. I can read through the lines.
Also, people that are comparing the iPhone to WinMo, Symbian and Palm devices in regards to 3rd party development, need to just relax. Those platforms have been around for a long time. They are established. The iPhone by all accounts is still a rev 1 product and in its infancy. Just give it time folks. Our culture of instant gratification can be annoying sometimes. Apple isn't perfect, but as the saying goes, patience is a virtue.
Just my 2 cents.
iPhone apps swt! ....... but can't we fix the existing probs first i.e. no MMS, crappy mail client, and no ichat, no sending sms to multiple recipients, no copy and paste..
This is so typical Steve. He'll say anything just to get in your wallet.
He's ace is the digital signature so you're not free actually free after all.
Sorry I'm confused. Is this basically for developers? What does this mean for someone who just bought an iphone (jailbroke, apps, unlocked) when February comes?
you can still unsigned apps on symbian too.
but of course you have to disable certain option in the setting if i remeber correctly
I'm glad Apple will be keeping a tight rein on apps for these products. The last thing I would want is my Apple products turning into the insecure fiasco that Windows has become and having to constantly be handing more money over for bug fixes and plugging security holes.
Seriously. Apple needs to expand their carrier services. Not just ATT. Try Verizon, Sprint, Nextel, or Alltel. THEY WILL LOSE CUSTOMERS FOR THIS!!! MARK MY WORDS!
This is what Apple should do:
1) Make the SDK avaliable to all.
2) Limit the API so that 3rd party apps can only do approved things, such as what Blizzard does with World of Warcraft's UI addons.
3) Allow programs to get "approved" by Apple, with a digital signature, which allows the application to perform actions otherwise unauthorized. For example, only an approved application can make calls or use SMS. This should keep things secure but still give the flexibility for Apple to authorize programs that require more flexibility then what is normally offered.
So when does Skype come to the Iphone?
ill bet their going to announce it with the 2nd gen iPhone. I mean thats around the same time they announced the first gen. so why not? and then they could do what microsoft did with the Zune and bring the new software the first gen iPhones.
Sounds logical to me.
hi guys i have a question..can we update the firmware from apple when they're released on this sdk edition?i mean on an unlocked 1?please lemme know guys!!thanks.
Why don't they just stop bricking phones that have been jailbroken? That would make me happier. Cuz now im thinking....what about all the apps i already have? Will they all get lost and have to maker my own. Or can you use apps other people have developed? I just don't understand this quiet right now. How do they plan on getting the apps onto the phone...sync with iTunes?