iPhone SDK Details, First Look

[TonyHoyle]

What I want to know is if Devs can create an app with the SDK and distribute it via installer.app on jailbroken iphones. If so, then we should be seeing awesome apps that leverage the SDK way before June, they will just need to be distributed via installer.app. This may also be a way to circumvent the $99 fee (though only folks with jailbroken phones will be able to download those apps). Folks with access to the SDK, is this possible?

Yes sort of, since there's no app distribution until June anyway.

OTOH the SDK we have isn't a heck of a lot better than what was being used already.. The only new thing is the emulator. The rest consists of a cross compiler limited xcode integration to use it as a text editor. No app design, no helpful ways of adding methods.. it's all harcore right objective C directly just like the existing dev SDK that's around already. I couldn't find any documentation that wasn't a straight copy/paste from the OSX verson either (it even says so at the top).

Basically if you weren't creatng apps with the existing SDK then this isn't going to make it any easier for you.

The SDK that was demoed looked great - but don't expect that to ship until June.

 

[peterlobl]

9,900 cents

I'm not sure that anyone else has noticed.. the $99 cost for the standard publication of applications for the iPhone/iPod Touch will be an annual charge.

That's right.. if you write a nice little useful, free application such as, say, a terminal with ssh capability, which will benefit all sysadmin kind, it will cost you, the developer, $99 per year for others to use it.

The alternative is to charge the people to download it. Hmm.. Doesn't seem as such a good deal for Open Source software developers or those porting open source apps to the platform.

The only recourse would be to have a foundation acting as a virtual developer under the scheme, paid for by dontaion. However, this is probably already banned by the licensing agreement.

This is likely to kill any small (hobbyist) developer community at birth.

how bout you gather up 98 more developer/hobbyist/buds of yours, who collectively purchase hundreds of thousands of dollars worth hardware/software per year, and collectively purchase one (1) license for the publishing of iPhone Apps...

and u be the gatekeeper so you get all the glory from the writing...

Will cost each of you $1/headcase and u can save the rest for McDonalds w/ Diet Coke

 

[gwangung]

how bout you gather up 98 more developer/hobbyist/buds of yours, who collectively purchase hundreds of thousands of dollars worth hardware/software per year, and collectively purchase one (1) license for the publishing of iPhone Apps...

Hm. They call that a corporation or company, I believe...

 

[twoodcc]

looking forward to trying it out

 

[coolfactor]

Boooo on 10.5 only. Thats very Microsoft-esque

The iPhone and iPod Touch are running 10.5. It makes sense that the developer tools run on that, as well. Why should they support 10.4 or earlier with 10.5 tech?

 

[exigentsky]

Apple is under contract with AT&T to secure the phone from unlocking. Even if you disagree with this, nothing can change this. They _have_ to prevent unlocking in anyway they can. Otherwise, they can be held liable.

Of course Apple isn't going to allow you to release applications with adult themed content. If you want to do that, you still have the option of creating a web based application for the iPhone.

It's not about unlocking, read the post. Unlocking would be prevented at the SDK level anyway.

The problem is that Apple forces developers to use iTunes and pay Apple 30% as the sole distribution method. This greatly restricts the programs accepted and slows down their arrival. As Apple mentioned, they will censor the programs allowed. Developers should be free to use iTunes but also have their own distribution channel.

 

[JackAxe]

This right here is the single most appealing reason for me to finally jump to an Intel.

Can a Mini drive a 30".

<]=)

 

[Phil A.]

Can you please provide a link that says so. Everything I've read says that the $99 is for a certificate you would use to sign your apps. Therefore, it's a one time only payment.

here it says:

The Standard Program costs $99 (US) per year and gives members an iPhone SDK and development tools; access to pre-release iPhone software; technical support; the ability to get code onto iPhones for testing; and distribution of applications via the new App Store. The Enterprise Program costs $299 (US) per year.

 

[phillipjfry]

I haven't had a chance to read any of the above but I have to ask before I forget....

When is Transmission going to be ported???

 

[macUser2007]

"...- No obscene, pornographic content, or other materials that may be found objectionable
- Must not excessively use bandwidth or burden network capacity
- Specifically with regard to the carrier's network, you are not allowed to develop Voice over Internet (VOIP) functionality...."

So, a few conclusions:

1. Apple is the ultimate censor - I can think of so-o-o many things that MAY be found objectionable...;

2. No excessive bandwidth = No video from Apple competitors;

3. No VOIP = Runs contrary to the Network Neutrality concept.

Bottom line, Apple is worse than the church, which charges only 10% for entry to Heaven (vs. 30% for entry to iTunes,) and certainly worse than Microsoft, which freely allows ALL of the above on its platform.

Maybe Google's Android will help push Jobs in the right direction.

 

[exigentsky]

Joke post right?

No it isn't because it's not just porn. There are a lot of useful programs that I expect Apple will block if they have similar offerings or for other reasons. Their clause allows them to block any program they wish. Given that they block external distribution, this does matter.

I find this accepting attitude to Apple's actions strangely ironic. No complaint about being forced to pay twice for a song if you want a ringtone (clearly wrong). No complaints about way too many things. What if Microsoft decided that ALL Windows programs can ONLY be distributed through Windows Update and developers MUST pay Microsoft 30% of their profits? To add, developers must pay an ANNUAL FEE just for PUBLICATION. Moreover, Microsoft can reject any program from inclusion, if it wishes. Bye NeoOffice, bye Firefox etc. Would you be so quick to accept that? The truth is that this is a terrible bureaucratic (slow too) model if it is FORCED upon developers rather than made attractive enough that they will want to use it. It stifles innovation, cuts consumer choice and restricts freedom. However, since sheep think it's perfectly normal and OK, companies get away with it. This same sheep mentality allows politicians such as Bush to get away with turning the US into something not so far from a police state (in powers, not application) with documents like the "Patriot Act" (we have Orwell's doubletalk here). The more you accept, the more will be taken away.

 

[knifr]

How to download IPHONE sdk

go to http://developer.apple.com/iphone/do...iphone_sdk.dmg
if it doesn't work login and click download iphone sdk, an email will be sent to your email account, click on the link and try to get through the net traffic. If all goes well you will be downloading the SDK, if not you probably have a screen in front of you that says theres and error or something like that. No worries, just go to http://developer.apple.com/iphone/do...iphone_sdk.dmg again and it should work this time.

*** AN EASY WAY TO GET AROUND THE NET TRAFFIC IS TO REFRESH THE SITE CONSTANTLY. CLICK REFRESH AND WAIT UNTIL IT COMES BACK WITH AN ERROR AND THEN CLICK IT AGAIN, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO PRESS IT VERY QUICKLY BUT YOU WILL GET THROUGH, YOU'LL KNOW ITS WORKED ONCE YOUVE CLICK REFRESH AND IT DOESNT SHOW AN ERROR, BE PATIENT IT WILL LOAD. ALSO IF A PAGE LOADS WITH NO PICTURES JUST CLICK THE BACK BUTTON AND CLICK THE LINK AGAIN IF THE PAGE LOADS, IF NOT JUST REFRESH, REFRESH, REFRESH.

 

[yoyoman]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3)

"- No unlocking or the ability to distribute applications in a method other than the iTunes Stores
- No obscene, pornographic content, or other materials that may be found objectionable"

Oh great, we have Apple trying to leverage their monopoly on iPhone development. Rather than making iTunes app distribution attractive enough so developers will want to use it, Apple is forcing it as the only way. While Apple is trying to milk profits this way, it's certainly not good for consumers or developers.

It's also frightening that Apple will censor what kinds of programs are acceptable. This stifles creativity and is a consequence of the first problem. If apps can only be distributed through iTunes, Apple would not want to be seen as responsible for something "obscene." Naturally, if Apple didn't chain their developers to iTunes distribution, a much wider range of apps could be created. So much for freedom...

you've got to be kidding...

 

[gwangung]

No it isn't because it's not just porn. There are a lot of useful programs that I expect Apple will block if they have similar offerings or for other reasons. Their clause allows them to block any program they wish. Given that they block external distribution, this does matter.

I find this accepting attitude to Apple's actions strangely ironic. No complaint about being forced to pay twice for a song if you want a ringtone (clearly wrong)? No complaints about way too many things. What if Microsoft decided that ALL Windows programs can ONLY be distributed through Windows Update and developers MUST pay Microsoft 30% of their profits? To add, developers must pay an ANNUAL FEE just for PUBLICATION. Moreover, Microsoft can reject any program from inclusion, if it wishes. Bye NeoOffice, bye Firefox etc. Would you be so quick to accept that? The truth is that this is a terrible if it is FORCED upon developers rather than made attractive enough that they will want to use it. It stifles innovation, cuts consumer choice and restricts freedom. However, since sheep think it's perfectly normal and OK, companies get away with it. This same sheep mentality allows politicians such as Bush to get away with turning the US into something very close to a police state with documents like the "Patriot Act" (we have Orwell's doubletalk here). The more you accept, the more will be taken away.

Good god, another person who hasn't run a business before.

Guess what, genius--EVERY software developer pays a chunk off the top to their distributor...and that chunk ranges from 10-50%. Even shareware people--what, you think bandwidth and servers come for free??

 

[4np]

The iPhone emulator identifies itself as:

Mozilla/5.0 (Aspen Simulator; U; Aspen 1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.7 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1 Mobile/5A147p Safari/5525.7

Is 'Aspen' the codename for the iPhone or the touch OS X or something?

 

[macdsean]

However, since sheep think it's perfectly normal and OK, companies get away with it. This same sheep mentality allows politicians such as Bush to get away with turning the US into something very close to a police state with documents like the "Patriot Act" (we have Orwell's doubletalk here). The more you accept, the more will be taken away.

Perhaps you should stick with computers and leave politics to the grown-ups.

 

[exigentsky]

Good god, another person who hasn't run a business before.

Guess what, genius--EVERY software developer pays a chunk off the top to their distributor...and that chunk ranges from 10-50%. Even shareware people--what, you think bandwidth and servers come for free??

True, but they can CHOOSE their distributor and they can make their own distribution channel. The iPhone policies I listed are extremely restrictive. Even the devil's... Microsoft's offering is far more open and free to developers and users alike.

 

[mathewr]

Easy to make an app?

I figured since I have to wait 3 months I might as well try to make an app. I know it supposed to be very easy, but I have never coded anything in my life. How much learning do I need to do?

Thanks

I know I asked this already, but i didnt get a response so im gonna keep asking.

 

[exigentsky]

Perhaps you should stick with computers and leave politics to the grown-ups.

Perhaps I shouldn't have included politics in the example, but I have no less authority in this domain than you. To me, the Patriot Act and similar laws passed by the Bush administration is a corruption of freedom and everything the US is supposed to stand for. This is why I used it as an example.

 

[gifford]

i just want tto download the sdk, how many times do i have to "We are processing your request. Please wait a few moments then refresh this page."

at the devcenter to download it, is everyone having this problem?

 

[Nyyark]

I wonder if the multi-touch pads on the new MB Pro and Air will let you test multi touch interaction on the Simulator?

 

[asdavis10]

I figured since I have to wait 3 months I might as well try to make an app. I know it supposed to be very easy, but I have never coded anything in my life. How much learning do I need to do?

Thanks

I know I asked this already, but i didnt get a response so im gonna keep asking.

An understanding of programming is important. You don't need to necessarily be an expert in Cocoa or Java to write programs but you will need an understanding of basic programming principles. The specific syntax to develop programs can easily be learned and with all the built-in tools that are included in Xcode you will find that you won't be typing as many lines of code as you think. You will need some type of reference book. Though you can find many useful guides on the internet, having an actual book by your side will save you a lot of time.

 

[mathewr]

reference book

An understanding of programming is important. You don't need to necessarily be an expert in Cocoa or Java to write programs but you will need an understanding of basic programming principles. The specific syntax to develop programs can easily be learned and with all the built-in tools that are included in Xcode you will find that you won't be typing as many lines of code as you think. You will need some type of reference book. Though you can find many useful guides on the internet, having an actual book by your side will save you a lot of time.

thanks for responding what kind of book do u suggest and where can i find it thanks again

 

[Nagooya]

i just want tto download the sdk, how many times do i have to "We are processing your request. Please wait a few moments then refresh this page."

at the devcenter to download it, is everyone having this problem?

I'm having the same problem...


I want my SDK now!

 

[asdavis10]

thanks for responding what kind of book do u suggest and where can i find it thanks again

The books I would suggest would be too advanced for a beginner. Check out the programming section at you local Barnes & Noble, Borders, or BAM. Look for something from the "For Dummies" (no insult) series. Their great book for beginners.

I'm having the same problem...


I want my SDK now!

Everyone has been trying to download it since after the announcement. Just like the online store was moving really slow after MacWorld Expo when people were pre-ordering their MBA's.