Apple iPhone Apps Coming, but Limited

[eightball0]

Recall that Steve Jobs wanted no expansion slots on the Apple II, and none on the Macintosh. He appears to dislike third-parties messing around with what he considers to be perfect devices.

Looks like there's no iPhone in my future, ever. He's really messing up here, and it's a shame because it's a great device. Apple's going to lose a lot of business here, and they're going to alienate the entire 3rd-party development community.

It's clear now why Apple removed 'computer' from their name: it's because they don't make computers anymore. Look for OS X to move in this direction, too.

 

[TomSmithMacEd]

SKYPE SKYPE!! (or some form of VOIP)

 

[joeboy_45101]

The widget element would be a great playground for third party developers. Most of the true Apple-supplied applications just seemed like different utilities and functional elements, except for the safari web browser. Widgets are just mini-apps, I don't see what more a developer could want to make for this phone. Widgets can read email, look up definitions, find directions, open and edit documents, find bus schedules, show what is going to be on TV tonight, and play games. That's more than people will be looking for anyway.

 

[xenotaku]

Who the hell cares? How many of your phones right now allow you program and install any app you want? This is a cell phone! Not a mini computer.

He stressed the inclusion of OSX because it is what drives the phone. The animations, the menus, the security. He never implied it would be a mini computer. Its a cell phone!

And how many of you have iPods? Probably 95%, and you can't install whatever you want on that either, so why complain about this.

The unrealistic expectations people are putting on this phone is insane. Go read thread #500. You all sound exactly like the people on that thread.

 

[feffer37]

In a nutshell .....

Quote:
“We define everything that is on the phone. You don’t want your phone to be like a PC. The last thing you want is to have loaded three apps on your phone and then you go to make a call and it doesn’t work anymore. These are more like iPods than they are like computers.”

....that's why the iPhone will be so successful. Because Apple recognizes that the user experience on what the iPhone is supposed to be is the most important thing right now. Who care's if we can't download 3rd party apps right away. If I'm spending $600 plus money to break out of my current T-mobile contract, then this thing had better be damn well bullet proof. Kudos for Apple & Jobs for putting the user experience over any profits they might make by licensing 3rd party apps.

Besides, I don't know what the hell everyone is so worried about. This is Steve Jobs, people! The same guy who said that they weren't interested in bringing in a iPhone to existance to begin with!

What I'm more interested in knowing is how much of my 8 GB hard drive will be taken up by OSXmini. It would totally blow for those who bought a 4 GB iPhone to discover 500 mb devoted to the software, especially those future pesky 3rd party apps sure to come

 

[dongmin]

This is one hell of a computer.

But if you want it to be just a phone, Steve, guess what. You can keep it. I'm not interested any more.

*sigh*

I mean, he has to be kidding me. No Skype, SSH, VLC, Chat, Navigation, ... ?! Come on Apple, even *you* are not able to write every piece of software that could be useful for this thing.

This is kind of a Mac with only iLife on it. Guess Steve would love it. I just don't know anyone else who would.

You're joking right? With it's web-browsing and email alone, it's already superior to every other smart phone out there.

But I agree with some of the sentiment here. In combining three gadgets (phone, ipod, and 'internet communicator'), the iphone could suffer from an identity crisis, as in being incredibly versatile but not doing any one thing particularly well.

 

[tkidBOSTON]

Steve Jobs is a control freak.

That aside, I think this is a good thing for the average consumer. Apple will make available all the apps I need and keep all the crud thats going to ruin the usability of the phone off of it. Like previously said, I hope they release an IM client (iChat).

 

[Doctor Q]

We'd all benefit from a steady supply of new "approved, guaranteed safe" iPhone apps. The trick is to avoid throwing out the baby (new apps) with the bathwater (safety).

Two approaches come to mind:

1. If they want to carefully control iPhone app development, for the reasons stated, then they need to do a better job of it than they do for iPod games. I don't see a flood of iPod games on the market, and I think Apple didn't make the process easy enough or profitable enough to tempt developers.

2. With proper design, couldn't Mac OS X/iPhone use software techniques to limit applications to a sandbox, and avoid the dire consequences of bad software that seem to concern Apple?

 

[bevo]

honestly, I was all for it. But if he's not gonna open it up for 3rd party software makers he's making it really hard for someone in my position to justify purchasing one.

Thing that drives me to getting a palm or windows pda phone is the ability to run medical software on it like epocrates or the washington manual. If those aren't gonna be to run on it, why would I really need one?

 

[CHROMEDOME]

All I want is Adium on my iPhone, or at least iChat. If there is no IM client then I will have to think twice about buying one.

On windows mobile you can download a ton of apps...Its just a matter of time til it get hacked anyways.

 

[joeboy_45101]

We'd all benefit from a steady supply of new "approved, guaranteed safe" iPhone apps. The trick is to avoid throwing out the baby (new apps) with the bathwater (safety).

Two approaches come to mind:

1. If they want to carefully control iPhone app development, for the reasons stated, then they need to do a better job of it than they do for iPod games. I don't see a flood of iPod games on the market, and I think Apple didn't make the process easy enough or profitable enough to tempt developers.

2. With proper design, couldn't Mac OS X/iPhone use software techniques to limit applications to a sandbox, and avoid the dire consequences of bad software that seem to concern Apple?

Like I said above utilizing widgets for third-party development would solve this problem. The widget environment would be the perfect sandbox. Look at the thousands of widgets third-party developers have made for Tiger

 

[voidptr]

Who the hell cares? How many of your phones right now allow you program and install any app you want? This is a cell phone! Not a mini computer.

It's both. And I already own a cellphone. And an iPod. I'd love to replace them with an iPhone, but the RDF is fading fast on this one.

The killer app for me on the iPhone is useful widgets that use the internet (either over EDGE or WiFi) I can carry with me. If I can't write them or share them and Apple is going to the ringtone model of only what they say at inflated prices just because it runs on a phone instead, it severely lessens my personal demand for the device. I already have something that can make phone calls, convince me there's $600 worth of value in this phone I don't already have.

Steve made a big deal during the keynote that they paired up so "Cingular could be Cingular, and Apple could be Apple" and that they were pulling the cell phone industry into the next century. To turn around and adopt the Cell carrier model on this is the entire wrong direction. Apple has had an amazing comeback in the last few years, in part because of the iPod, but also because they finally made Mac appeal to a very broad base of people, including a lot of third party development. Even the iPod and iTunes has benefited a great deal from podcasting, which is really another form of third party content.

Cell phones need to adopt the "big dumb pipe" model in data and voice and drop the locked network mentality. The best promise of the iPhone was that it was going to push that new reality. The sad truth is it looks more and more like it's going to solidify the old reality instead.

 

[retroneo]

Did anyone else notice this little gem in the article?

phone could be upgraded to 3G with software if Apple later decides to do so.

Anyone know if this could be true? I was assuming different chipsets would be involved to move from EDGE to 3G.

-Paul

No, not possible. HSPDA requires a considerably different chipset. Plus if they are to use a dual-band HSDPA system so it can be used worldwide, it will need different antennas too!

I think the reason it is only EDGE and not HSDPA is because the product was delayed considerably. Hopefully the upcoming HSDPA iPhone Steve spoke of in the keynote will follow in Jan 2008!

Also, the current iPhone can't be released in Korea or Japan as it is, as there are no 2G GSM networks there. The only GSM networks there are HSDPA!!

 

[jhedges3]

I initially didn’t care much and felt that Steve’s point was reasonable enough; you can’t have everything months ahead of the initial release. And some third-party applications are better than none. I can see that messing up something fundamental would be a bad thing.

But Apple could apply that sort of rule to many other things and don’t. They could, were it possible, try to limit all applications that run on Os X to be one that’s they’ve sanctioned.

This story:
http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/editors/2007/01/phonefix/index.php
alludes to some of the functionality that’ll be lost without allowing such development. For example, according to this story Treo users can use them to login remotely to their Mac or to display their Mac’s screens remotely. Seems clear that if Treo users can handle the power to add these sorts of applications so can iPhones users.

Then again maybe Apple and Cingular are trying to avert the deluge of support calls that would come when something goes wrong for average users and they're unable to reinstall Os X.

I doubt corporate users would buy a GPS-enabled phone that you cannot take the battery out of, anyway. And I have yet to hear if the battery is removable (I hope it is).

The battery is not removable.

 

[suneohair]

The apps will come folks. If you didnt read the article take a look at this:

"“These are devices that need to work, and you can’t do that if you load any software on them,” he said. “That doesn’t mean there’s not going to be software to buy that you can load on them coming from us. It doesn’t mean we have to write it all, but it means it has to be more of a controlled environment.”"

He just wants to control it. Which I agree with. I have a Treo and I know how adding uncertified apps can kill brick your phone. Causing you to have to reset and lose everything. I have done it.

Apple will simply have a process by which a developer has to get their application certified. Simple really and will keep the user experience at its best.

Another thing. If no one develops, what are you going to control. Assuming that everyone and their mother will make apps for this thing is silly. Besides how much crap is out there for WM5, Palm OS, RIM, etc that is pure garbage. a ton I am sure. I don't want all that junk.

I want apps that add to my productivity. iChat will be there. Adium? Who is to say they are capable of even making it he phone? Same thing with the other apps. If developers get out there and say "We want to create thing for this phone" then by all means. Apple should let them. But until then, assuming that you can't have a iphone version of an app that doesn't even exist is foolish.

VLC - no iPhone version
Skype - no iphone version

(that we know of at least) See my point. How can you whine about not having it when it doesnt even exist!!!

 

[harmless]

Who the hell cares?

I do.

How many of your phones right now allow you program and install any app you want?

My old Treo did. If it doesn't, why should I throw serious money at it?

Not a mini computer.

Yes it is.

And how many of you have iPods? Probably 95%, and you can't install whatever you want on that either, so why complain about this.

Because an iPod does not have the capability to act as a full purpose computer. The iPhone does.

The unrealistic expectations people are putting on this phone is insane. Go read thread #500. You all sound exactly like the people on that thread.

I disagree. There's nothing unrealistic about installing 3rd party applications on a smartphone. Heck, that's the *point* of a smartphone!

At least it is for me.

There's no room for argument here. Either I can install any 3rd party app I want, or there will be no business.

 

[fowler.]

Who the hell cares? How many of your phones right now allow you program and install any app you want? This is a cell phone! Not a mini computer.

He stressed the inclusion of OSX because it is what drives the phone. The animations, the menus, the security. He never implied it would be a mini computer. Its a cell phone!

And how many of you have iPods? Probably 95%, and you can't install whatever you want on that either, so why complain about this.

The unrealistic expectations people are putting on this phone is insane. Go read thread #500. You all sound exactly like the people on that thread.

Most phones can run Java apps, Treos can run apps designed for PalmOS, Nokia can run apps designed for it's os, as well as the plethora of Windows Mobile applications that run on various smart phones...

Poor argument my friend.

 

[MattInOz]

One question, for steve...
If no 3rd Party apps then why are there 5 blank icons on the home page?

 

[voidptr]

All I want is Adium on my iPhone, or at least iChat. If there is no IM client then I will have to think twice about buying one.

On windows mobile you can download a ton of apps...Its just a matter of time til it get hacked anyways.

There's one problem with that, and it's strictly Cingular's fault. Shame on Apple for playing along.

Cell phone networks have the idea that instant messaging is "special data". There's phones out there now that support AIM, and they use SMS to do it, even when there's a data network available, because 10c per line makes incredible money for the networks, and treating data as data doesn't let them do that. AOL released last year a library to support third party AIM clients, and the license for it included a prohibition on using it to develop any clients for mobile devices, because AOL's already agreed to help the networks enforce their IM == SMS idiocy.

If anything, there's two apps Cingular doesn't want on this phone, and it's likely they'll keep everything else off it to keep it that way:
* A VOIP client so I can make voice calls without the cell network when I'm in wifi range.
* An instant messanger client other than the SMS app Apple already demo'd.

 

[jesteraver]

Hopefully in 2008, when the iPhone with iChat AV released they will let people install certain things hopefully Microsoft Messenger (hopefully by 2008, it will let you use a cam)

 

[harmless]

You're joking right? With it's web-browsing and email alone, it's already superior to every other smart phone out there.

I disagree. Again.

Actually, I don't consider it a smartphone at all, if it isn't open to 3rd party developers.

Oh, and don't tell me about all those great widgets. The only ones marginally useful do include Cocoa plug-ins. The rest is just fluff.

 

[DTphonehome]

Who the hell cares? How many of your phones right now allow you program and install any app you want? This is a cell phone! Not a mini computer.

My Treo does...and so does any Windows Mobile device. Hell, even Blackberry has 3rd party apps. Considering Steve lambasted those devices as "not very smart", I would hope that a device which is supposed to be "smarter" would allow me to install apps which Steve and his buddies might not have time to deem acceptable (ie, my medical software).

 

[Sean7512]

Wow, I think that is absolutely GREAT! With Apple closely monitoring App development, we can be assured that all apps will be safe and work. Why would one want to download apps off of the web and risk viruses or anything bad?? The best way is for Apple to monitor all Apps, then release them in iTunes so they are copied automatically with no install process. Apple wants this to be EASY for people, and face it...the AVERAGE consumer WILL NEVER, EVER install other apps on it. With an open 3rd party development, it may get messy. Just because us (the "computer nerds") want it, doesn't mean anyone else does. I am VERY HAPPY with Apple's decision on limiting and closely monitoring application development. Don't worry, it sounds like apps WILL come out, but they will need Apple Approval thats all....

 

[neven]

"It's going to be terrible without any 3rd party apps."

Right, because if the keynote has shown us anything, it's that people other than Apple develop kickass mobile apps...

No 3rd party apps on my iPod and I couldn't be happier.

 

[failsafe1]

A few things come to mind.
1. I have used several pocket pc's and thought they would revolutionize my life. They didn't. I use a cell phone every day and it is just as annoying as helpful. So I don't blame Steve or Apple to control the experience. The Apple experience is what I count on. I forget that things were not always as seamless and easy as they are now on the Apple platform.
2. The other thing is I think we can look to the Apple TV and see that things can change between a product being announced and released. We went from wondering if there was a hard drive and N to Oh we have those things. So we may see drastic changes in what and what not is included or offered in the iPhone.