Gizmodo
The Steve has listened to our incessant whining and now he's writing something I've been waiting to read for many months: "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." That's the lead-in from his letter on Apple.com saying the third-party app SDK for native iPhone programs is coming in early '08. It'll also do iPod touch programs. Jobs also explains the delay: Making the iPhone more open while keeping it secure from viruses has been a challenge. They're taking their time, and doing it right. Arn from Macrumors points out that the piece includes hints that Apple might pick up a digital signature system for app verification. P.S. Kudos for Businessweek on scooping this ahead of time, but Fake Steve called it first, bluffing or not. P.P.S We'll really have to wait a while to find out the exact details of app development to fully celebrate, but right now, I gotta admit, I feel like a born-again fanboy. [Apple. BTW, that Digg badge links to the apple.com website, so keep it floating.]
Third Party Applications on the iPhoneLet 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.
Comments
yeah, great.
right in time for them to launch the SECOND iPhone.
Thanks steve.
Yeaaaaa!!!!
two words:
ABOUT TIME!!!!
wow.
awesome.
wonder what the distribution model will be...
did someone hack into apple's site? :)
Cool... they could start now by letting you install the mail app on the iPod touch.
Is it summer already? Nice flip-flops, Jobsie.
@ihatethekids:
Apple usually waits at least a year before releasing new models of existing hardware, so we're safe until ~Juneish
Apple was mentioned on this thread, so I'll ask again:
How do I enable the "No Apple" and "No iPhone" filter. I'd rather engage that than polute these posts with more "ENOUGH Apple already" comments.
I was told to TFSU and engage the filter, like I'm an idiot for not thinking of doing so. I didn't know it existed (if it does) and there is no obvious way of engaging it.
I've posted the same question on at least 8 threads here. Still no answer. I'm ready to call in the MythBusters.
Makes sense... let everyone and their mother buy an iPhone for the holidays, let them dwell on the simple yet glamorous functionality, and then slowly allow developers to buff it up. Not saying I wouldn't like it early, but between this "security concern" and just basic product management, Apple knows what they're doing.
@ihatethekids: Oh please. The timing is clearly worked around the release of Leopard. They release the full version of Leopard, let developers try it out, then they let them loose on the iPhone. Pretty straightforward strategy.
@hakubak: Are you going to crawl into a hole when Apple slowly gains more market share? It's a newsbit for Apple news, relax. Nobody gets pissed when Gizmodo posts Zune coverage, we just laugh at Microsoft's mistakes.
Before anyone chews Apple out for "betraying our trust" on the iPhone, they're not exactly strangers to the act. Many people will remember how Jobs said that they would never put "integrated Intel graphics" in a Mac. Fast-forward to the MacBook and Mac Mini, both containing integrated Intel graphics.
Don't say no one could have saw it coming.
Finally. Been somewhat worried about jailbreaking the 1.1.1 Last thing I need is a brick. But February? I don't have that kind of patience, what am I a doctor? (sorry about the pun...)
This is BIG news for the iphone and is a real positive for the iphone. If iphone 2 improves the hardware along with this SDK, it will be a real competitor and will be a very worthy purchase indeed.
Warning! Fanboy comment: I'm glad they've responded to the obvious desire for third party apps on the iphone. Apple listened to what their users wanted, like the DRM free itunes. Call them, and me, what you want. I like companies that listen and act on the desires of their customer base. Will continue buying macs.
My post was not anti-Apple. I don't care about Apple products. That's why I want to engage the filter.
I just sent an email to the tips@gimodo.com address, asking how to do so.
After that, you can enjoy all the Apple threads without me and I can enjoy Gizmodo without Apple.
@Keebler: Most likely iTunes a la Widgets / Podcasts prorably using somekind of DRM to ensure authenticity
@hakubak: Your "joke" is lame and old. It appears that you just post this exact comment whenever you see the word "Apple".
Why does Apple get you so riled up? You obviously just sit and wait for Apple posts so you can post your comment. It seems like you have some deep-seated hatred for Apple.
Is that any more rational than have an abiding love or respect for a company? I think you should ask yourself why you have this pathological need to post the exact same comment again and again and again. A healthier response would be not to post.
It's kind of like the GOP and neoconservatives with Al Gore. Such hate is not healthy. For your sake, perhaps you should stop reading Gizmodo.
YAAAAAAY!
Makes me really want to buy an iPod touch now, more than ever.
I'm not mad at Apple anymore.
I was just about to kill Apple off my favorites list because of no third party crap, and since I didn't want to hack into anything (bricking would make me tinkle a little), this is awesome news.
Maybe the touch and iPhone, ya know, will be the next Newton. With third party apps, what couldn't you do?
I'm not very excited about this yet. One of the rumors out there is that Apple plans to follow T-Mobile/Danger's model for their Sidekicks. The Sidekicks have a "catalog" on them and you can buy apps over the air and it's charged to your cell bill. Apple may be doing this same thing except through iTunes, they've even hired some old Danger employees to help out. Apple may be able to do it better but I had a Sidekick for several years and it was a horrible experience.
Apps and games were very rarely updated, if the developers app was similar to another one or an official one it wasn't released, it was basically impossible to release free apps, every app had to go through a strict certification process and tons were denied, etc. I hope Apple does a better job of it than T-Mobile did, that's one of the reasons I switched to the iPhone...
I can only imagine (and hope) that there are several large companies (Garmin, TomTom, for example) that are chomping at the bit to make their wonderful devices (GPS!!!) work with our iPhones.
P.S. I really want to be able to use bluetooth GPS devices with my iPhone.
yeah, maybe i'm off on the next gen iPhone releasing in February...
March makes much more sense
hah.
but seriously, i'm a fanboy - and this past year has shattered all past apple production years..
for good, and bad..
they're going to need to show some love for iPhones / iTouch sooner than later
even if it's a new UI to update and personalize
with all this jailbreak/unlocking crap
and revirginizing...
argh.
--
MORE IPHONE THINGZ STEVE JOBZ PLZ!
@chasema:
"Maybe the touch and iPhone, ya know, will be the next Newton"
And become the great, yet failed, platform of the 21st century? No thanks ;-)
J/K, I know what you meant. Or, I hope I know what you meant.
can the iMoaning please stop now!!!
I have a bad feeling about this...Boot Camp was only free for the beta and then you had to pay. What are the chances that Apple will put a price tag on this as well?
please, baby, please... baby-baby, please:
S - K - Y - P - E !!!!!!!!
Skype on the wi-fi iPhone without a contract - prepaid minutes, in an urban environment with many open networks is my personal wet dream...
@hakubak:
try this so you can avoid new products and ideas:
gizmodo.com/gadgets/not:apple/
link[gizmodo.com]
I don't think the digital signature thing necessarily spells doom and gloom - it sounds more like saying that each app will be signed by the copy of xcode used to write it. This could limit the homebrew community by making it only possible for registered devs to code for the platform, but at the moment at least xcode is free as is ADC registration, so that's not much of a hurdle for folks doing legit work, but it does potentially stop malware folks since they would be easier to identify.
The thing about the iPhone/ iPod touch that makes them so great is the (unofficial) 3rd party apps... even if you have to go thru the crappy jailbreak process. (it's not like its a hard process anyways)
now that Apple will release this SDK, i just hope that they dont charge crazy amounts of money for each app. that would make me keep my iPod touch jailbroken, cuz free is always better than paying.
Thanks Scarab. The link is exactly what I needed. The smartass comment... not so much.
I can't say I'll miss that aspect of the Mac-fanboy personality.
Ok, this is it!
F**k you Apple!
(Sorry for the language.)
A couple of days I figured out, that I won't buy an iPhone until Apple has made up its mind.
I was completely in the clear about buying a MacBook and staying with my Treo for the next couple of months.
It wasn't about the unlocking, it was about the third party apps, which made the iPhone "special". Just like BLam said.
What now?
I'm definitely willing to pay for the iPhone, and if I will be able to load it up with third party apps with Apples blessing, I'll go for it.
That's the way it should have been from the beginning on!
i guess his steve-ness was just waiting for the sdk to get golden brown and delicious....
"your patience will be rewarded"
-alton brown.
thank you Jesus... err... Steve.
@Dearhaw: Haha. I mean, maybe they're going to be Apple's ultra-portable computer... thingy.
Not that they're going to fail into the depths of lost gadgets. Haha.
Although, from what I understand, people still develop for the Newton. Not sure why, but they do.
But I'm sure it's going to be possible to build a suite of desktop quality apps.
@sorensilk: Doubt it. Apple.com already has a directory of freeware/shareware apps for OSX you can download. Plus, if it's a Developer SDK, it's up to the developer. Not Apple. I'm sure people will be hosting their own sites with custom, free apps.
Kind of wish we knew how this is all going to work, whether it's direct to the device, or synced.
I kinda like the new Apple. You know, the one where Steve O' folds to the consumer public like a cheap house of cards. It looks like he has learned his lessons from the 80's by keeping the people happy. February can't come soon enough!
@hakubak:
Here is how you engage the filter: Visit another web site. After all, if you remove all of the Apple posts, there really is not much left to read, right?
@KAHRI:
From moment one people were asking about third party apps and they kept it off the table -- but, we should all be really impressed when they agree to release something that should have been there from day one. Do I commend Microsoft for now making operating systems that crash only once a day, because they are finally listening to their customers? And the DRM-free music really has nothing to do with Apple, it is the result of the record labels finally listening to their customers. If Apple is really listening, then they would be releasing their DRM-free titles in MP3 format. Feel free to hold your breath waiting for that one.
It is great when Apple does things right, much like it is great when any company does. But, let's not pretend that they are doing some great service to the community. They are in this to make money, and they are making decisions that make them the most money possible. This situation is no different.
@ConstyXIV:
Apple usually waits a year before price-cuts. I dont trust.
@hakubak: well i am not a mac fanboy, I am a gadget fanboy and anyone who would delibrately avoid any topics and or products (besides the whole NSFW thing) is probably not the target reader of this site. skip over articles you don't like, just don't click on them! and please don't comment on them either. spamming every apple related post is doubly annoying. also, using the suggestion I gave you, will make you miss out on the negative things about apple as well, and that might make you sad :(
@Monty:
"If Apple is really listening, then they would be releasing their DRM-free titles in MP3 format. Feel free to hold your breath waiting for that one."
Uhh, not if they listen to this customer, who actually prefers AAC over fuckin' MP3 any day of the week. But to you, YOU are the only customer worth listening to, right?
@omg-ponies:
I would rather have a flip/flop than to let an ego bleed prideful ignorance to what is best for your product/company/shareholders/customer. (Not like it hasn't been done before with lasting bad results). The true mark of wisdom is the ability to learn from past mistakes. For that I applaude SJ. Now fix the apps that were deliberately left off the touch and you gain even more respect.
@Mayor McRib: Actually, it's not even a flip-flop. Opening the iPhone to development was never ruled out; it just wasn't offered immediately. I assumed we'd see an iPhone SDK after the early bugs were worked out, but considering the timing of this announcement, I'm guessing the release of Leopard was the major turning point.
@omg-ponies & mayor mccrib
Steve didn't flip-flop at all. Mayor, don't take OMG's words as writ. Apple doesn't say a lot, because it is very clear and succinct about its message. Steve Jobs has been saying for the last month that they're "working on it" and that "they are concerned about doing it in a secure way". Over and over and over again. Just read around, instead of picking your nose in a corner getting caught in an echo chamber. --Or actually WRITE Steve Jobs directly, that's what you'd have gotten back.
@Sumocat
Ya beat meh 2 it.
im greatful and all... but FEBRUARY?!!?!! i cant wait that long:(