We make a 3rd party database engine for .NET and for the first time ever i was seriously excited about exploring how to get into the Apple's OS X developer market because of the iPhone. We were looking forward to achieving the following:
http://www.vistadb.net/blog/?p=11
The iPhone is clearly a revolutionary device, but if software developers can't build applications for it, it will not dominate the business market. And signing with Cingular didn't help things. Very sad to see Apple missing the big picture and enormous opportunity ... yet again. I may reluctantly buy the iPhone -- it looks too good to ignore - but i'll be waiting for Microsoft/Verizon/(+Morotorla?) to wake up and build a phone based on Vista's UI that competes head-on. Apple was sooo close.
Anthony Carrabino
www.vistadb.net
Again, it's been said time and time again, but there is still a lot we don't know. But your statement that software devs can't build applications for it doesn't seem to have any basis to it; we haven't seen exactly how third party dev will be handled, but it sounds like there will be a way to do it, just that there might be some controlled platform, rather than just unfettered ability for third party apps to be installed.
Either way, you speak about it like the iPhone as we know it will remain exactly the same. But I don't see any basis for that. If the iPod is any indication, things will be expanded, and the platform will probably change as demands are met.
Just as an example, the original iPod didn't have anything like the Dock Connector. But it was added eventually to meet the demand from third party accessory makers who wanted to create products that worked with the iPod.
The post above would be like saying "It's a shame the iPod is never going to have any way to interface with third party accessories", making the incorrect assumption that the platform won't or can't change or adapt.
Again, this is a first effort from a company which has never made cellphones before. I think it is reasonable to expect that, as with the iPod, Apple will look at the things people demand which the initial product doesn't have, and work on adding them.
Heck, remember, the original iPod did almost nothing but play music. But even the iPod was grown to add features, including things that Apple initially dismissed (i.e. they used to say they'd never do video because there wasn't a demand for it).
I can see from the posts you made on your own blog that you've already come to the conclusion that this is all set in stone though, and that MS is going to "crush" it.
Personally though, if I were a dev interested in developing for the iPhone, I'd actually keep an eye on developer.apple.com and see what Apple's actual plans are for third party development support.
But your conclusion right now that it is completely closed to third party development seems premature. I think we all need to actually wait until Apple actually releases some information on it.
But to say that it is closed really does imply that third party development will be impossible. The few things Apple has said so far have sounded more like a controlled environment where third parties will be able to develop apps, but there might need to be some sort of signing process, etc, like Symbian 9.x handles full API apps, etc.
Or, of course, just wait for Microsoft and Motorola (or whoever) to come out with their iPhone killer. I wouldn't personally count on seeing something like that any time soon, as I think MS has clearly oriented Windows Mobile for a different type of market, and it would require a pretty radical change in WinMob to be like what the iPhone will be, but who knows.
-Zadillo
