OFFICIAL: Apple planning iPhone SDK for February

kaidomac · Oct 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. [Oct 17, 2007]

DSCole312 · Oct 17, 2007

You rock, Steve. :Cool:

Mattlike · Oct 17, 2007

Good move. That new Nokia phone that is coming out next year (iPhone-like) is going to support 3rd party apps out of the box.

Fairly · Oct 17, 2007

George Armstrong Custer said:
OK, Chief, you were right and I was wrong. Please accept my apologies!

davidgallant · Oct 17, 2007

good stuff!

kaidomac · Oct 17, 2007

Muhahahaha

Kash · Oct 17, 2007

Sweet. Now we can expect even more great stuff than what is currently offered by Installer.app

MinaMACMan · Oct 17, 2007

Kaidomac... u beat me too it. I guess one of the Mods should close the thread I just opened for the same topic ;P

MayBe MHC can do the honors ;D

kaidomac · Oct 17, 2007

MinaMACMan said:
Kaidomac... u beat me too it. I guess one of the Mods should close the thread I just opened for the same topic ;P

MayBe MHC can do the honors ;D

If it's in the iPhone forum don't worry about it, this is just the news & rumors section. Let the good discussion go on in the dedicated forum ;D

fleurya · Oct 17, 2007

Honestly, it's way over due. This really should have been available out of the box or sooner. The way Apple touted it as a computer with full OS X in your hand, there should have been opportunity for more software. It's like coming out with Leopard, but not allowing any 3rd party software to be run on it until next June.

Frankly, Apple's tight control over what software goes on it has me a little concerned too. Is there a precedent for this kind of thing? For example, if someone wants to make a program for OS X or Windows, do they need to get Apple or Microsoft's approval on the software first? It just sounds very over-controlling and possibly a method of keeping out developers for reasons other than security issues: almost fascist on their part. I just feel if Microsoft were doing something like this, people would view it much differently.

Kash · Oct 17, 2007

I agree with fleurya, Apple would have saved a lot of bad blood with many of its customers if it had released this sooner, or at the very least announced it sooner.

Rather than playing offensive like it used to, Apple seems to be stuck on the defensive lately, much like other companies.

knightlie · Oct 18, 2007

Kash said:
I agree with fleurya, Apple would have saved a lot of bad blood with many of its customers if it had released this sooner, or at the very least announced it sooner.

Rather than playing offensive like it used to, Apple seems to be stuck on the defensive lately, much like other companies.

As I understand it it's taken them this long to create it. You don't just write SDKs on the back of CD envelops, particularly if they're intending to make it secure.