SDK Coming | Apple Condones 3rd Party Apps

[Cody Overcash]

October 17, 2007
Third Party Applications on the iPhone
Let me just say it: We want native third party applications on the iPhone, and we plan to have an SDK in developers’ hands in February. We are excited about creating a vibrant third party developer community around the iPhone and enabling hundreds of new applications for our users. With our revolutionary multi-touch interface, powerful hardware and advanced software architecture, we believe we have created the best mobile platform ever for developers.

It will take until February to release an SDK because we’re trying to do two diametrically opposed things at once—provide an advanced and open platform to developers while at the same time protect iPhone users from viruses, malware, privacy attacks, etc. This is no easy task. Some claim that viruses and malware are not a problem on mobile phones—this is simply not true. There have been serious viruses on other mobile phones already, including some that silently spread from phone to phone over the cell network. As our phones become more powerful, these malicious programs will become more dangerous. And since the iPhone is the most advanced phone ever, it will be a highly visible target.

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.

We think a few months of patience now will be rewarded by many years of great third party applications running on safe and reliable iPhones.

Steve

P.S.: The SDK will also allow developers to create applications for iPod touch.

via apple

Thanks JedixJarf, coreym, and everyone else who pmd me

[knowtheobscure]

Good to hear hes coming to his senses. This is probably the first authentic sounding thing Ive heard come out of his mouth (or at least the written words of those sounds).

[danfromthelb]

what does SDK stand for?

[savva]

what does SDK stand for?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_development_kit

[billchase2]

it's about time...

[travelbytommy]

Too bad apple won't acknowledge the dev team and everyone else for all their hard work creating the apps that we already have. To me it just sounds like most people will have to wait until february to do some of the stuff that most of us are already doing and then apple will take the credit of all those people's hard work. At least it is a step in the right direction though.

[Gamunda]

what does SDK stand for?

SDK = Software Developers Kit

[andrewthorp]

travel, there is a big difference between getting around the system and providing an SDK with a nice API.

a BIG difference.

[IriQuel]

Too bad apple won't acknowledge the dev team and everyone else for all their hard work creating the apps that we already have. To me it just sounds like most people will have to wait until february to do some of the stuff that most of us are already doing and then apple will take the credit of all those people's hard work. At least it is a step in the right direction though.

My biggest fear is that Apple is so money hungry that they won't allow IM apps so people are forced to use SMS. The more you spend on your phone bill the more they get. Of course, the others using non-AT&T sims are not giving them extra money.

So, I think come February we will see the beginning of the end for 3rd party apps like Mobile Chat and Apollo.

[ipawd]

Cant wait! I would like to begin developing some applications that are sponsored by apple and maybe we can see some improved 3rd party apps from some of the larger developers like Ambrosia and Popcap. I can't wait to get my hands on a breakout game for the iphone or a native Bejewled game. Would love an Improved Sketches app and an Impoved TTR or Beatphone with the ability to have a highscore list for TTR and a record feature for Beatphone. YAY post 10

[sailhome1]

Great to hear that Steve is opening the iPhone to 3rd party apps.

Have you ever heard that "the devil's in the details"?

• Which developers will be allowed to participate? All devs are not created equal, but some small guys have done cool work.
• Will 3rd party (free) ringtones be part of the SDK?
• Will system images (carrier/battery...) be part of the SDK?
• Will icon ordering/positioning be completely open in the SDK?
• ...fill in blank with your favorite personalization...

My guess is that Steve will only open it enough to quiet the blowback. He's not going to challenge his business model or his complete sense of omnipotence regarding device design even if it is more cash hungry than some high-end, subsidized phones of the past (Treo...).

I REALLY wish that Steve would fix other big issues like cut & paste and the BS of having to load media through his moronic iTunes tabs. I want to load stuff on my iPhone with a simple drag and drop to the phone and a few radio buttons saying to synch or not my calendar and contacts. Let the dang "most advanced phone ever" figure out whether a file is an audio clip, video or contact. Heck, even MS Windows can do that. [Can you tell that I'm not an iTunes fanboy?]

I LOVE the iPhone as shipped. I just love it a lot more with how I've made it fit my lifestyle. Get it Steve? We're not supposed to be the drone humans in your 1984 video after all.

Sailbyc (Sailhome1)

Green Bay Packers Theme

[Eurisko]

Too bad apple won't acknowledge the dev team and everyone else for all their hard work creating the apps that we already have. To me it just sounds like most people will have to wait until february to do some of the stuff that most of us are already doing and then apple will take the credit of all those people's hard work. At least it is a step in the right direction though.

I think he should hire the Dev Team

[JedixJarf]

Why would steve positively acknoledge a group of hackers who cut his revenue?

[drunknbass]

Cant wait! I would like to begin developing some applications that are sponsored by apple and maybe we can see some improved 3rd party apps from some of the larger developers like Ambrosia and Popcap. I can't wait to get my hands on a breakout game for the iphone or a native Bejewled game. Would love an Improved Sketches app and an Impoved TTR or Beatphone with the ability to have a highscore list for TTR and a record feature for Beatphone. YAY post 10

my mpc500 app will have all the features most will want out of a sampler/drum machine app.

[jayson9]

sure...... but then we would have to pay for all those cool apps!

Probably better to keep it the way it is......

[imstill@g]

Why would steve positively acknoledge a group of hackers who cut his revenue?

That is a arguable point, I and many other would have never bought an iphone if it hadnt been for the Dev Team, so revenues being cut is not something the Dev Team can be blamed for, just my thoughts.
This is without a doubt good news, once given a kit, the sky is the Limit.

[Eurisko]

Why would steve positively acknoledge a group of hackers who cut his revenue?

1. Smart companies always hire leading edge techs, its better to have them as friends than enemies.

2. I've heard this statement before, how exactly does hacking the iPhone cut into Apple's revenues? They still got the money for every phone sold, and they make a ton of cash of AT&T's Data royalties. I think Apple is doing just fine; which then begs the question "How much is enough?"

Any hacking activities on the iPhone are just a drop in the bucket to Apples revenues.

[tony8192]

Ya.. its cool hes coming to his sences and acnowledging that he's beat, but im not too sure i like the idea of apple condoned 3rd party apps... i def think there will be limits to what we can do...

[jealous soul]

I think he should hire the Dev Team

Let's hire the team that singlehandedly corrupted many consumers basebands and made their phones unusable. Great idea.

[IriQuel]

Let's hire the team that singlehandedly corrupted many consumers basebands and made their phones unusable. Great idea.

Apple deliberately targeted the baseband modification (keyword here is modification NOT corruption) with fW 1.1.1.. Don't blame the Dev-Team for that.