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Apple to Announce 3rd Party iPhone App Development?

I'm going to go right out and call total BS on this rumor. It is either a complete lie or just a misunderstanding of what is really coming.

Apple is not going to change its stand on 3rd party apps. Not now, not ever.

What they WILL do however, is make web apps more useful. Allowing Home Screen icon placement, opening an official online directory, that sort of thing. We'll probably see that very soon.

Full SDK for native iPhone apps? Nope. Not going to happen. They have shown great interest in milking the pockets of iPhone users and they will not, MARK MY WORD, will not give up the opportunity to make money off of future native apps.

Its very simple really. How much would YOU pay for iPhone iChat from Apple? Think about it.
 
When I can develop on the iPhone and people can freely use whatever I develop, and I can use what other people make, I will buy one. Native apps FTW!
 
Adokimus said:
I personally don't think that it's very likely.....

but what do people think the chances are that they :)apple:) will allow window's mobile as a 3rd party app. I need word, and more importantly microsoft outlook, for work, and my work would pay for an iPhone and the at&t service if the iPhone would just carry those applications. I don't think that my company is the only one with such policies regarding smart phones and compatibility with microsoft office. It's just a kicker that the iPhone seems to me to be the smartest phone, but it's purposely dumbed down and controlled by apple. If apple wants to be in business with this segment, it needs outlook! I'm sure you graphic designers don't really care, and your work probably gives you ten mac pros and thirty 30" ACDs, but I work in a law/accounting office and apple isn't going to take over this market for a very long, long time. So, I need compatibility. iWork? Stop jesting.

Sincerely,

Ado
Click to expand...

Umm...exactly what are you asking for? Windows Mobile as in the operating system available on smartphones? When hell freezes over, dinosaurs again rule the earth, and Palm OS is updated, you'd only have to wait another billion years. ;-) Seriously, though, if you are thinking of a setup similar to boot camp, won't happen. WinMob is an entirely different animal than regular Windows, and is not sold to individuals, only corporations. And Apple would never sell it as a licensee.

If you need office compatibility and outlook syncing, and you dont want to use windows mobile, what about symbian or palm? Palm is getting VERY long in the tooth but they still work well for the basics, and they can read/write word docs, emails, etc. I believe Symbian can as well, but you'd have a harder time finding a symbian qwerty phone.

Unfortunately even with 3rd party applications the iphone is not going to windows mobile, and if your office requires you to have something that is tightly integrated with Windows, you're probably SOL. If you really want an iphone your best bet would be to use the company issued device during the week and swap out for the iphone on the weekend.
 
GTiPhone said:
I'm going to go right out and call total BS on this rumor. It is either a complete lie or just a misunderstanding of what is really coming.

Apple is not going to change its stand on 3rd party apps. Not now, not ever.

What they WILL do however, is make web apps more useful. Allowing Home Screen icon placement, opening an official online directory, that sort of thing. We'll probably see that very soon.

Full SDK for native iPhone apps? Nope. Not going to happen. They have shown great interest in milking the pockets of iPhone users and they will not, MARK MY WORD, will not give up the opportunity to make money off of future native apps.

Its very simple really. How much would YOU pay for iPhone iChat from Apple? Think about it.
Click to expand...


I've heard similar arguments in the past, such as why they wouldn't come out with a touch-screen iPod so soon after the iPhone. Basically the argument is that apple will force people into the products and apps and uses that it wants. But, while apple likes total control over their products, they are also experts at saturating every part of a market that they can milk for money. This, of course, has limits (such as no voice recording on an iPod) but, that's where licensed 3rd parties have always come in. I think that much like rings and games, Apple will release apps through iTunes. But, they will likely be heavily restricted by apple. And most, if not all, will cost money. My hope, for mobile window's office, is very unlikely, but apps in general are very likely... for a price.

-Ado
 
question fear said:
Umm...exactly what are you asking for? Windows Mobile as in the operating system available on smartphones? When hell freezes over, dinosaurs again rule the earth, and Palm OS is updated, you'd only have to wait another billion years. ;-) Seriously, though, if you are thinking of a setup similar to boot camp, won't happen. WinMob is an entirely different animal than regular Windows, and is not sold to individuals, only corporations. And Apple would never sell it as a licensee.

If you need office compatibility and outlook syncing, and you dont want to use windows mobile, what about symbian or palm? Palm is getting VERY long in the tooth but they still work well for the basics, and they can read/write word docs, emails, etc. I believe Symbian can as well, but you'd have a harder time finding a symbian qwerty phone.

Unfortunately even with 3rd party applications the iphone is not going to windows mobile, and if your office requires you to have something that is tightly integrated with Windows, you're probably SOL. If you really want an iphone your best bet would be to use the company issued device during the week and swap out for the iphone on the weekend.
Click to expand...

I mispoke, not window's mobile, but compatibility with outlook and word, such as palm does with its software, I think Visio(sp?). Not the OS, but the actual microsoft office apps.

Peace,

Ado
 
Adokimus said:
I've heard similar arguments in the past, such as why they wouldn't come out with a touch-screen iPod so soon after the iPhone. Basically the argument is that apple will force people into the products and apps and uses that it wants. But, while apple likes total control over their products, they are also experts at saturating every part of a market that they can milk for money. This, of course, has limits (such as no voice recording on an iPod) but, that's where licensed 3rd parties have always come in. I think that much like rings and games, Apple will release apps through iTunes. But, they will likely be heavily restricted by apple. And most, if not all, will cost money. My hope, for mobile window's office, is very unlikely, but apps in general are very likely... for a price.

-Ado
Click to expand...


Agreed and they will not be 3rd party apps either...they will be authentic, OFFicial, Apple apps.....at 9.99 each.

They will also, likely, release the above stated improvements to Web-based 2.0 apps.


Think about it people: A full SDK for developers would ERASE web apps as a "thing" for iPhone. If we have developers pumping out freeware/shareware, web apps will be a thing of the past.

You may want to go back and watch Steve Jobs keynote from January to udnerstand why this will NOT happen.
 
I've always thought that an official SDK would be forthcoming, and was just a matter of time. The old rumor about the Apple engineer who dropped innuendo about it at a party always rang true to me. The iPhone group has a ton on their plate, they're scrambling to do a lot of things, possibly including negotations with AT&T on this, and I think people just need to be patient. Apple doesn't make announcements about future products as a matter of course, so I think they're not going to discuss it until it's ready for release. In the meantime, I'm sure that Apple's strategy is to try to encourage development of web-based apps. They may announce improved web-based capabilities as a stop-gap measure, but my bet is on a real SDK eventually.

It reminds me of the way that Steve always used to pooh-pooh the idea of a video iPod -- and then, bam, he announced one. I think an official SDK will be released in similar fashion.
 
Why no JAVA apps?

I wonder why they don't just allow Java apps. I don't mean something like "J2ME" (mobile games java) but a "real" Java implementation like on the Mac.

- They could supply Java interfaces to Cocoa (like one the Mac). So look & feel could be native.
- Performance may be not as fast as "native", but much faster than JS in Safari or other script based systems. If Java3D was supported, even a lot of games would be possible.
- Runs inside a VM, if there is no JNI, there is no access to anything outside. So low level access to devices (Sim lock hacking or attacks against the network) or the OS /firmware ("bricking") can be prevented. Access to call / network functions and access to data of other Apps can be restricted.
- Any form of local storage could be managed by the VM, so installing and removing Apps could be very easy (like managing Music on an iPod).
- Apps could even be binary compatible with the Mac with no need for "triple binaries".


Christian
 
tripperharrison said:
I would love Apple's Dictionary on the iPhone, as well trying out some kind of book reader. I'm not sure if the screen's quite big enough, but if it worked, that would be huge, selling books on iTunes.
Click to expand...

a book reader would be huge! just imagine the use those of us who commute by train would get. that alone would almost clinch the deal on an iphone for me! . . . 3G and 16GB wouldn't hurt either . . . ;)
 
Actually, its very easy with several choices
SE P1, P910 ( et al ), Nokia E70, E61, E62 ( crippled E61 for north america ), E90 ( the communicator device ).

The Nokia's ship with QuickOffice - but you probably wouldn't want to edit, just read.

question fear said:
If you need office compatibility and outlook syncing, and you dont want to use windows mobile, what about symbian or palm? Palm is getting VERY long in the tooth but they still work well for the basics, and they can read/write word docs, emails, etc. I believe Symbian can as well, but you'd have a harder time finding a symbian qwerty phone.
Click to expand...


Java provides a very good sandbox.

Apple have discontinued Cocoa Java.
christian_k said:
I wonder why they don't just allow Java apps. I don't mean something like "J2ME" (mobile games java) but a "real" Java implementation like on the Mac.

- They could supply Java interfaces to Cocoa (like one the Mac). So look & feel could be native.
- Performance may be not as fast as "native", but much faster than JS in Safari or other script based systems. If Java3D was supported, even a lot of games would be possible.
- Runs inside a VM, if there is no JNI, there is no access to anything outside. So low level access to devices (Sim lock hacking or attacks against the network) or the OS /firmware ("bricking") can be prevented. Access to call / network functions and access to data of other Apps can be restricted.
- Any form of local storage could be managed by the VM, so installing and removing Apps could be very easy (like managing Music on an iPod).
- Apps could even be binary compatible with the Mac with no need for "triple binaries".


Christian
Click to expand...
 
Not quite so!

The *problem* here is, MANY would-be "iPhoners" have their purchasing plans on hold until they see how this 3rd. party apps thing pans out!

Apple is losing a LOT of potential sales as long as they insist on locking the phone down this tightly.

I have several close, personal friends who wanted an iPhone badly (2 of whom already have AT&T as their cell carrier anyway), but they're waiting - because they want the "next generation smartphone" that Apple promised in their initial sales pitches. (Remember when Jobs got up at the media event and showed the iPhone side-by-side with phones like the Palm Treo and Blackberry? Well, THOSE phones let you install whatever applications, games and utilities you feel like downloading into them!)


jouster said:
Their strategy is not in tatters. Most iPhoners could care less about jailbreak or SDKs.
Click to expand...
 
Tell me, why would Apple open up development to the iPhone?
What reason would they have?

Why wouldn't they just add apps to iTMS?

Seems like a good money making idea...
$4.99 for iPhoneChat
$1.99 for iSSH
$9.99 for Google Calendar Subscription support

It's so cute to see so many people still think that this is NOT about money... There is a reason that Apple stock is over $160/share. PROFIT.

If the iPhone DOES get 3rd party support, it is not going to be free. If anything at all, they will be available via iTMS. (Think iPod games...)
 
kingtj said:
The *problem* here is, MANY would-be "iPhoners" have their purchasing plans on hold until they see how this 3rd. party apps thing pans out!

Apple is losing a LOT of potential sales as long as they insist on locking the phone down this tightly.

I have several close, personal friends who wanted an iPhone badly (2 of whom already have AT&T as their cell carrier anyway), but they're waiting - because they want the "next generation smartphone" that Apple promised in their initial sales pitches. (Remember when Jobs got up at the media event and showed the iPhone side-by-side with phones like the Palm Treo and Blackberry? Well, THOSE phones let you install whatever applications, games and utilities you feel like downloading into them!)
Click to expand...



I disagree. The people waiting for / wanting 3rd party apps is maybe... what? 1%? Out of 1M phones sold, how many do you really think are mad about no 3rd party apps? I have 7 family members with iPhones, and NONE of them have a clue that it's missing something. Out of the friends I know when them (31 total) only 4 of them are wanting "more" from the phone.

Apple designed this phone for the mass market. The 99% of the population that is willing to accept what it is and not question it. The last 1% of the people are going to bitch about it. 1% isn't going to bother anyone.

yes, I'm in that 1%. I still have my Cingular 8525. I have it because it does what I need it to. (I require ssh and Remote Desktop for work). Also, I LOVE the keyboard. until the iPhone gets 2 of the 3, I will not own one.
 
Moof1904 said:
I don't see how the iPhone can truly succeed in the long term unless Apple opens up development, at least in a limited way.
Click to expand...

I completely agree. While maybe only a small percentage of people actually installed and used 3rd party apps on the pre-1.1.1 iPhone, the positive buzz it created was enormous.
 
aaronh3 said:
i really think the ipod touch is a stop-gap, if there was a 60gig iphone, would you need anything else? :)
Click to expand...

The iPod Touch is the anti-AT&T device. When the iPhone is free of AT&T, then I think the iPod Touch may not be needed anymore.
 
cwolves said:
My bet is on this being a web SDK, which is fine, despite any shortcomings, on two conditions: That there is offline support (e.g. google gears) and that they add multi-touch support.

With these two simple things the iPhone / iPod touch suddenly has "native" apps. You can do -almost- anything on a website that you would want to use a PDA for, short of playing games, watching video or listening to music. It can be argued that video & music aren't needed anyway.
Click to expand...

"aren't needed" is not equal to "aren't wanted"

- No motion sensor support (many interesting marble games)
- No iPod support (visualizers, graphers, trackers, and all the stuff I like to do with iTunes data)
- No phone support (to track callers, hook into a planning/business apps)
- No radio support (to make a wifi signal strength grapher, so you don't have to drag a computer around)
- No Speaker support (to make your own sounds)
- No os-level support (to make wide-level things, like Quicksilver)
- No graphic card support (to make custom UI elements, or even custom apps like a Finger Paint)
- No native GUI (so a "webapp" would work more like YouTube.app, instead of a YouTube.com reformatted as a iPhone page)
- No local preference support (cookies?) (so an app can remember, for example, WHICH cities you want to display the weather of)
- No animation support (which goes right into the whole 'games' concept, but also helps for the various transitions and fades that the native iPhone apps do)
 
GTiPhone said:
I'm going to go right out and call total BS on this rumor. It is either a complete lie or just a misunderstanding of what is really coming.

Apple is not going to change its stand on 3rd party apps. Not now, not ever.

What they WILL do however, is make web apps more useful. Allowing Home Screen icon placement, opening an official online directory, that sort of thing. We'll probably see that very soon.

Full SDK for native iPhone apps? Nope. Not going to happen. They have shown great interest in milking the pockets of iPhone users and they will not, MARK MY WORD, will not give up the opportunity to make money off of future native apps.

Its very simple really. How much would YOU pay for iPhone iChat from Apple? Think about it.
Click to expand...

I _was_ a big supporter of the iPhone, until they started this BS. Apple is going to be left in the dust if they don't provide 3rd party apps. Even if they open up development to 3rd party "trusted" companies or start to release their own paid apps, it will NOT be enough. As it is, they are already missing some critical parts that make it unsuitable for business phones.
 
tripperharrison said:
I would love Apple's Dictionary on the iPhone, as well trying out some kind of book reader. I'm not sure if the screen's quite big enough, but if it worked, that would be huge, selling books on iTunes.
Click to expand...

The eBooks I have on my iPhone now (thanks to installer.app and the "Books" application) work wonderfully. I don't think it's small at all and find it quite easy to read. I love it!
 
mainstreetmark said:
"aren't needed" is not equal to "aren't wanted"

- No motion sensor support (many interesting marble games)
- No iPod support (visualizers, graphers, trackers, and all the stuff I like to do with iTunes data)
- No phone support (to track callers, hook into a planning/business apps)
- No radio support (to make a wifi signal strength grapher, so you don't have to drag a computer around)
- No Speaker support (to make your own sounds)
- No os-level support (to make wide-level things, like Quicksilver)
- No graphic card support (to make custom UI elements, or even custom apps like a Finger Paint)
- No native GUI (so a "webapp" would work more like YouTube.app, instead of a YouTube.com reformatted as a iPhone page)
- No local preference support (cookies?) (so an app can remember, for example, WHICH cities you want to display the weather of)
- No animation support (which goes right into the whole 'games' concept, but also helps for the various transitions and fades that the native iPhone apps do)
Click to expand...

Lets not forget, additional sound options that Apple (for reasons I can't even begin to understand) forgot to add. Such as, change the ring tone for SMS messages.
 
JPark said:
That's probably true: 51% or more don't care. But there is a very large minority that do care, and other Would-be iPhoners that care as well.
Click to expand...

I've heard numbers in the range of 1-5% who took advantage of third-party applications on pre-1.1.1 iPhones. However, while this is a small minority, it is a vocal and influential minority.

Furthermore, the other 95-99% might be much more likely to use 3rd party applications when (1) when there are a large number of professional applications available, which means that they are more likely to find one that is perfect for them; (2) the applications are easy to find and install (e.g., through iTunes); (3) installing applications is given "officially OK" status from Apple; and (4) software vendors start to market these applications.

So while the numbers of people who wanted to and did install 3rd party applications might be very small, we shouldn't confuse this small number with the size of the potential market.
 
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