iPhone SDK Feb 19th or 26th + New app on launch day...

There's an entire community that has supported the devs with donations to keep them building. Most have now dropped trow and headed for the apple SDK with thousands in donations that were given with the intent to buy them product to develop for the community, not for apple.

You likely are not on the proper side of the fence to understand this or we wouldn't be having this conversation.

jeremy566 said:

are they going to charge us to get new apps just like on the itouch

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I would imagine that Apple may release some free apps, but I am guessing there will be a lot that you have to pay for. Quite a few people and companies actually develop software in order to make a living. I have no problem paying for nice apps. Hopefully people don't come here and whine when they find out they have to pay money for nice apps. People constantly wanting other people to work hard and spend hours developing and then give them stuff for free is kind of pathetic.

one1 said:

There's an entire community that has supported the devs with donations to keep them building. Most have now dropped trow and headed for the apple SDK with thousands in donations that were given with the intent to buy them product to develop for the community, not for apple.

You likely are not on the proper side of the fence to understand this or we wouldn't be having this conversation.

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Again...it's a business decision.
All those devs that dropped "trow" did so because Apple or whoever offered them the opportunity to have something better. I don't know if that is more money or just an opportunity to work with a creative team that is more competitive and can bring a better product to the market place. So, maybe we have to pay a few dollars for an app or maybe it is free. If there was nothing for the devs to gain by making a business decision to "drop trow" they would not have done so. It is nothing personal, it is business decision. Nothing against the people or company that I work for, but if someone offers me more money or a better chance at advancement that I currently don't have, I will go for it. The bottom line is that I want to do the best job at what I do and I want to get rewarded the best that I can for it so that I can provide first for my family then for myself. Again...it's a business decision.

End of story

Some apps will cost money. Some won't.

Skype has never charged for an application, for instance. None of the message apps (MSN Messenger, AIM, etc.) have ever cost a dime either.

netdog said:

Some apps will cost money. Some won't.

Skype has never charged for an application, for instance. None of the message apps (MSN Messenger, AIM, etc.) have ever cost a dime either.

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Firefox.
Webkit.
Linux.

The people that actually want to pay for apps through iTunes astound me. I just can't fathom their logic. Why do they think if they download an app from some third party that it'll automatically explode their phone, or that downloading it from Apple will prevent that.

Very unlike the "Gimme Generation"

mainstreetmark said:

Firefox.
Webkit.
Linux.

The people that actually want to pay for apps through iTunes astound me. I just can't fathom their logic. Why do they think if they download an app from some third party that it'll automatically explode their phone, or that downloading it from Apple will prevent that.

Very unlike the "Gimme Generation"

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Just as the people that want to get everything for free and feel like it is a "right" to get it free astound me. So, they hack the iPhone then when features stop working they whine and complain. I know that even those that haven't hacked their iPhones have problems too. But if you hack the thing then have problems it is just a risk you decide to take. I personally think that if I buy something I should be able to use it however I choose with in the law of course.

My problem is not with people that hack their phones. It is people that think they are "owed" something for nothing. I could care less whether I pay for an App or not. But if I do I also understand that there are numerous people that put many many hours of work into creating the Apps and they deserve to get compensated for their time and energy. Apple, AT&T, HP, Dell or who ever may be big businesses but they are comprised of real people that have real families that they are providing for. Sure some of the top Execs are banking but the people that do the work probably are not. How about you go to one the researchers or developers houses and tell their family that you don't think they should get paid because you feel it is your right to get your Apps for free. Talk about some selfish people!

How about I start a petition asking the Pizza Hut people to stop paying their employees so I can get my pizza for free. The people that want to pay for their pizzas astound me!!

Its not for me that they cost, thats fine. Its how much and how many devices of mine they will work on for that payment.

I would like to see decent pricing and up to 5 ipod/iphones in my household at anytime.

I would also like to see Apple allow redownloads for Apps if I have major Mac problems. Or a really easy way to backup these up across my multiple Macs.

JCastro said:

\My problem is not with people that hack their phones. It is people that think they are "owed" something for nothing. I could care less whether I pay for an App or not. But if I do I also understand that there are numerous people that put many many hours of work into creating the Apps and they deserve to get compensated for their time and energy. Apple, AT&T, HP, Dell or who ever may be big businesses but they are comprised of real people that have real families that they are providing for. Sure some of the top Execs are banking but the people that do the work probably are not. How about you go to one the researchers or developers houses and tell their family that you don't think they should get paid because you feel it is your right to get your Apps for free. Talk about some selfish people!

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Na, man.. I see where I may have been ambiguous in my previous post. My statement "people want to pay for apps through iTunes" wasn't meant to imply that I intended everything to be $free.

Actually, what I'm hoping for is an "open" system, where things work exactly like the Macintosh does now. You want an App from a developer -- get it from them, on their terms, without Apple in the loop. I've got plenty of paid apps on my Mac here, of course. If someone makes a reasonable money manager on the iPhone, that hooks up to my bank, I'd buy it. If someone created a wifi finder for themselves, and decided to Open Source it, I don't want to have to pay $5 to Apple through iTunes just to get it on the phone.

biffstephens said:

I would also not assume that the updates will be free.....the updates for the Itouch were not free....so be ready!!!

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This has as much to do with accounting as anything else. iphone income is deferred over the service life of the contract.

The SDK apps will add up, but I cannot wait to sit there with an open wallet! THe only thing the blackberry beats the iphone at besides push was the wealth of third party applications.

I think the iphone will be near unstoppable once the SDK comes out, and we are able to really unlock the power of the device. If I can get productivity apps the laptop will be staying at home a lot more.

gotzero said:

I think the iphone will be near unstoppable once the SDK comes out, and we are able to really unlock the power of the device. If I can get productivity apps the laptop will be staying at home a lot more.

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Actually its Android that might be nearly unstoppable if Apple is to slow to get enough Apps to market and if the price is too much. Its almost like the games industry now with phones, where its soon going to be less about what it looks like and whats under the hood (since they will all look like iPhones) and more about what Apps (Games) are available because "content is king".

So Apple need to move fast this year to get enough penetration before the Rise of the Android.

<insert image of terminator like android phones prowling through landscape of destroy and discarded phones towards an Apple iphone>

aswitcher said:

Actually its Android that might be nearly unstoppable if Apple is to slow to get enough Apps to market and if the price is too much. Its almost like the games industry now with phones, where its soon going to be less about what it looks like and whats under the hood (since they will all look like iPhones) and more about what Apps (Games) are available because "content is king".

So Apple need to move fast this year to get enough penetration before the Rise of the Android.

<insert image of terminator like android phones prowling through landscape of destroy and discarded phones towards an Apple iphone>

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I can believe that ... I got PS2 only because that's what guitar hero was on..

I did not mean to jump all over you per say. I saw youir comment as one that echoes through so many forums when it comes to issues like this. And I personally don't get the attitude. I want a good product as cheap as I can get it just like everyone else. I don't think that people think about the people and their families on the other side that are effected by their selfishness.

I think it would be cool to see the iPhone be an open system too but it isn't going to happen without hacking the phone. Apple has always been like that and will probably alway be like that. They have survived numerous lawsuits because of it and they will probably survive many more. And yet...people are drawn to Apple products by the millions.

I was recently visiting Orlando, FL and went into the Apple store in the Mall at Millenia. You could hardly get in the store there were so many people in there. And try to get a sales person to help you out...GOOD LUCK!!! I finally did get some help and the guy that help me out was so excited about the Apple products and it wasn't because he was selling something. I went in knowing what I wanted and already had it in hand.

The reason it doesn't bother me that Apple is hiring developers from outside is that Apple is only trying to create the best user experience for us the consumer. I kind of like that. I don't care that it makes them more money or that the product costs a little more than other products. In my opinion the Apple product is far superior to the competition and I don't mind spending a little more to get it.

The product is what it is. They like it locked into their system. We can choose whether or not we want to buy it. And so far, millions of people are saying that the product is worth buying.

mainstreetmark said:

Firefox.
Webkit.
Linux.

The people that actually want to pay for apps through iTunes astound me. I just can't fathom their logic. Why do they think if they download an app from some third party that it'll automatically explode their phone, or that downloading it from Apple will prevent that.

Very unlike the "Gimme Generation"

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I think part of it for me is that I REALLY WANT applications so good I'd gladly pay $5 for. If it's not, I'll skip them. I don't need every application, just because they're there.

Don't get me wrong. I would love to see free applications as well (and wouldn't be surprised if there was a way for someone like Yahoo to offer Yahoo Messenger for the iPhone for free), but just like I pay for software I deem worth it now, I am totally willing to do so for the iphone...

paulyras said:

I think part of it for me is that I REALLY WANT applications so good I'd gladly pay $5 for. If it's not, I'll skip them. I don't need every application, just because they're there.

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By all means, feel free to do so! You don't have to install everything, of course, and you can pay for the ones you like, of course. Just like OSX.

But, if Apple has to release every application, then the market becomes artificial, and even worse, it might prevent independent guys from writing specialty software for niche markets. After all, how can I write a genset monitor for my customers and field service guys if they have to go hand Apple $5 to use it, and even more awkwardly, maybe go through iTunes to get it.

We'll all see how this plays out in a week or two.

chr1s60 said:

I would imagine that Apple may release some free apps, but I am guessing there will be a lot that you have to pay for. Quite a few people and companies actually develop software in order to make a living. I have no problem paying for nice apps. Hopefully people don't come here and whine when they find out they have to pay money for nice apps. People constantly wanting other people to work hard and spend hours developing and then give them stuff for free is kind of pathetic.

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I see no reason why Apple won't set up a system like what they already have. Podcasts are free, why shouldn't Apple let developers give away their software for free? But some apps, probably better independent and professional apps will cost money, and I think $5-10 is probably a good estimate. Apps that we've already heard rumors about, slingplayer, Quicken, etc WILL cost money, I just can't imagine getting those for free. (Unless to advertise/get people to upgrade to the new firmware Apple gives away one app for the first week or so.

The good thing is, Apple is going to be making games for the iPhone! (The bad thing is the prices that have already been set on the iPod games will probably follow on on the iPhone games.)

I think that commercial companies will be making applications for the iPhone as well as free developers. So this means alot better applications

I'm looking forward to flash (native support and web), java and skype!!!

Wooow, calm down...

one1 said:

You are in essence excited about your own funeral. The good free apps are now going to cost from the same devs. I've donated to them, by my own free will.

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Well well, stop all the "repent, repent, for the end is at hand" stuff. Come on, its all gonna be ok. Before commenting on said above, I don't just want to mock you or anything, I'm a little concerned myself. But don't worry, Apple does have a couple of things to think about before making such business ideas.
First, Apple isn't that big of a fool. They know this is the "download all you can 'til your broadband speeds exceeds-generation", so whatever they are having put up on iTunes as paid content, isn't going to be too expensive for its value (good apps will cost more, no sh*t). I mean, Apple must have noticed that pricing your iPod apps (read; games) too high is only going to lead to more seedings at torrent sites (search at any for highest amount of leechers/seeders torrent, most probable something like "All iPod games blabla"). So whatever they're going to charge, it can't be too expensive or the "free route" will become too easy to take for the customers/consumers ("hare's path" or "hazenpad" as we call it in Dutch ).
About the cost of the SDK itself; I think it'll be certificate based, and one time of pay per year only. Charges per app will vary from 0.99 cents up to 3/4.99 is my guess but free apps will be there too. Some developers who have some spare time on their hands won't charge anything, maybe donation wise gather money for the license, or just post some extra banners on their sites and blogs . But more popular ones, maybe TomTom, Nuvi or any other GPS wise application will probably charge some money, but be honest, I'd be more than glad to pay up to quite a lot of $$/€€ to see some Navigation software on the iPhone (I know there isn't a GPS chip in the iPhone, but if Apple just upgrades the bluetooth chip software wise (which, I think, isn't that hard) an external GPS receiver could be connected).

So, yes if fear for having to make some extra cost besides my contract at my provider, but the idea of having well integrated, good looking (OSX smoothness <3 ) apps, with greater capabilities, thats (nearly ) priceless.