iPhone SDK Details, First Look

[Nagooya]

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.



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.

I know... but i've been waiting for about 4 & 1/2 hours!

 

[gifford]

I know... but i've been waiting for about 4 & 1/2 hours!

same here, its getting monotonous.

 

[asdavis10]

I know... but i've been waiting for about 4 & 1/2 hours!

Wow that's a long time. I wouldn't recommend this but SDK torrents have been seeded, so you can actually "get" it but I would advise you to wait and get it from Apple. It will most definitely be available in the morning as people will have stayed up all night trying to get it.

 

[Sky Blue]

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.

The model Apple are providing is much better, imho, than being able to download random apps off any site, and we're not talking OS X here, just the iPhone.
What if Microsoft decided that ALL XBox games can ONLY be distributed through the XBox 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 game from inclusion, if it wishes.
...wouldn't that be like what actually happens?

 

[majordude]

Most are understandable:

- 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
- 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 -- though Apple has specifically said that VOIP over Wifi will be allowed.

Hopefully this will lead to getting some REAL games on the iPhone.

Hopefully this will lead to unlocking, porn and VOIP.

 

[Nagooya]

Wow that's a long time. I wouldn't recommend this but SDK torrents have been seeded, so you can actually "get" it but I would advise you to wait and get it from Apple. It will most definitely be available in the morning as people will have stayed up all night trying to get it.

That'll probably end up happening for me.

 

[gusapple]

The model Apple are providing is much better, imho, than being able to download random apps off any site, and we're not talking OS X here, just the iPhone.
What if Microsoft decided that ALL XBox games can ONLY be distributed through the XBox 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 game from inclusion, if it wishes.
...wouldn't that be like what actually happens?

Also, you can be darn sure that I wouldn't be looking around the web for my apps. I like the idea of having all of them in one place.

 

[kster]

whats the file size of the SDK?

 

[gifford]

Wow that's a long time. I wouldn't recommend this but SDK torrents have been seeded, so you can actually "get" it but I would advise you to wait and get it from Apple. It will most definitely be available in the morning as people will have stayed up all night trying to get it.

just got the torrent, forgot about that one , cheers!

 

[TonyHoyle]

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.

None of the built in tools in xcode work with the SDK, so you'll find you're typing a lot more code than you think.

At the moment you need to know exactly how Cocoa and objective C works because you're hand-coding all the display elements (it'll give you a basic empty window but beyond that you're on your own). Heck I've got something like 20 years commercial programming experience and I'd hesitate to start an app with what we have now.

Once we get to June they'll presumably release one with all the integration. A new user would IMO be better off waiting for that.

 

[badNameErr]

whats the file size of the SDK?

2.1gb

 

[gwangung]

True, but they can CHOOSE their distributor and they can make their own distribution channel.

WHY ON EARTH WOULD THEY?????

The biggest problem independent producers of software have is distribution. With the App Store, it's ON THE IPHONE. ANd it's AT A PRICE COMPETITIVE WITH TRADITONAL DISTRIBUTORS. And WITHOUT THE OPPORTUNITY COSTS OTHER CHANNELS HAVE.

Good god, man, do you know what the heck you're talking about????? Or are you so wedded to the notion of "independence" that you forget what it's for???

 

[Mitch1984]

"...- 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.

1. No pornographic apps, stops people blaming apple for people that code porographic apps.

2. No excessive bandwith, ties in with the fair use aspect of the cell phone networks' fair use policy, it's easy to tell if someones tethered their phone so that their PC/Mac uses it's connection if they are using an OTT amount if data.

3. No VOIP, again it ties in with the agreement they've managed to reach with cell phone networks. Fair usage.

 

[gifford]

"limitations : no porn"

considering the first application i built at the age of 9 was called 'champion pisser' , bang goes my idea 24 years later of using the accelerometer to make 'champion monkey spanker'


damn

 

[Korolen]

For anyone who can't get through to the official Apple download, there's a torrent you can get it from (it's the exact same file in the torrent as the official download). If you've already downloaded it from Apple, you can still seed the torrent (that's what I did) to help others get their hands on the file.

 

[gr8tfly]

Simulator vs. Emulator

I've been reading this thread with great interest, but something has been driving me a bit nuts - the misuse of the term "emulator".

In the context of a s/w development environment:

The term "emulator" denotes implementation of a device/system in hardware. I.E., if the SDK were plugged into a breadboard, with a collection of chips which functioned like an iPhone.

A "simulator" denotes implementation of hardware entirely in software. This is what is included in the iPhone SDK.

There. I feel better, now.

 

[TonyHoyle]

The term "emulator" denotes implementation of a device/system in hardware. I.E., if the SDK were plugged into a breadboard, with a collection of chips which functioned like an iPhone.

Bochs is an emulator, and it's entirely in software. In fact the dictionary defintion of emulator includes software emulation.

Simulation is a word normally reserved for physical events, not software eg. you simulate weather patterns not emulate them. You emulate a CPU - nobody ever says that you simulate one... it just doesnt sound right even if people could work out what you meant.

English being what it is there are exceptions and the words are close enough in meaning to be largely interchangable, but in common usage simulation is almost never used in terms of hardware.

 

[irun5k]

WHY ON EARTH WOULD THEY?????

The biggest problem independent producers of software have is distribution. With the App Store, it's ON THE IPHONE. ANd it's AT A PRICE COMPETITIVE WITH TRADITONAL DISTRIBUTORS. And WITHOUT THE OPPORTUNITY COSTS OTHER CHANNELS HAVE.

Good god, man, do you know what the heck you're talking about????? Or are you so wedded to the notion of "independence" that you forget what it's for???

It is called choice. Most products can be purchased from various places. Take laundry detergent, a music CD, or the latest computer game. It would be a pretty crappy world if only WalMart could sell these items.

I can't believe how Apple-brainwashed everyone here is. Yeah, it might be convenient for me personally to shop at the WalMart a block from my house, but I'm not going to be narrow minded enough to say it is the only store that anyone will ever need, and other distribution channels are redundant, unsafe, and should be eliminated! That is madness.

 

[exigentsky]

Its impossible to have a monopoly on your own product. Words have meaning... try understanding them before using them.

Likewise 'censor'... thats a term referring to activity by a government or official regulatory agency. If this forum prevents me from posting because I break the rules, that's not censorship. If the government does, it is.

Thanks for your enlightening show of ignorance. I mentioned that Apple is attempting to continue to monopolize iPhone DEVELOPMENT. There is nothing strange in this expression. Would you say that it is impossible for Microsoft to have a monopoly on Windows development?

As for censor, you are taking a narrow meaning that is simply not accurate.

Finally, do you have anything of substance to add or are you going to play a losing semantics game? If so, I'm not interested.

 

[exigentsky]

I've been amazed at all the "negatives" people have given the posts regarding the iPhone SDK coverage. I guess people will just find fault in anything Apple does. The only way I can see someone feeling negatively about the SDK is if they are still running Tiger or have a PowerPC system. Other than that there is nothing negative about anything regarding the SDK. $99...waiting til June...nothing to complain about.

Maybe if you read the restrictions, you wouldn't be so confounded. Moreover, I think that few people "find fault in anything Apple does." The reverse is far more accurate.

 

[exigentsky]

The model Apple are providing is much better, imho, than being able to download random apps off any site, and we're not talking OS X here, just the iPhone.
What if Microsoft decided that ALL XBox games can ONLY be distributed through the XBox 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 game from inclusion, if it wishes.
...wouldn't that be like what actually happens?

This is a fallacy. It is not an either or proposition. It can be both. Thus, there is no way that the current can be better.

While many of you are quick to defend Apple, try to see this from a distant point of view. Even if some of what Apple does is common practice, it does not make it right or fair. It doesn't mean we should continue to accept it. Do you think it's right that many companies charge $3 for a 30 sec ringtone? This is incredibly overpriced, but people accept it. Should Apple get a free pass for charging you twice for a ringtone because the whole business is a mess for the consumer? I think they should not. Moreover, don't assume that anything restrictive or seemingly wrong is due to AT&T. There are limits to their involvement and Apple had to agree too.

 

[ctakim]

It is called choice. Most products can be purchased from various places. Take laundry detergent, a music CD, or the latest computer game. It would be a pretty crappy world if only WalMart could sell these items.

I can't believe how Apple-brainwashed everyone here is. Yeah, it might be convenient for me personally to shop at the WalMart a block from my house, but I'm not going to be narrow minded enough to say it is the only store that anyone will ever need, and other distribution channels are redundant, unsafe, and should be eliminated! That is madness.

Oh stop it, this is Apple. Haven't you seen how tightly they are controlling the iPhone platform environment? Are you surprised that they are controlling the distribution and type of apps you can load on your iPhone. Jobs is convinced that this is the best way to maintain the uniform quality of the iPhone experience. I'm not saying that I agree 100% with this decision, but you have to admit that the iPhone has been pretty darn successful to date adhering to this restrictive strategy. This is not an open platform, but it is slightly less rigid now than it was before the SDK was released, because now some third party apps will be available.

Here is my not so bold prediction. Apple certified apps will be available through iTunes and it will keep the average iPhone user happy. However, someone somewhere will jailbrake iPhone 2.0 and folks will be able to load whatever apps are out there onto their iPhone (porn included) but then they will have to live under the threat that the next iPhone update may brick or impair their phones function, kinda like the situation that exists now.

 

[mathewr]

thanks i guess i wont get whatever reference book i need

None of the built in tools in xcode work with the SDK, so you'll find you're typing a lot more code than you think.

At the moment you need to know exactly how Cocoa and objective C works because you're hand-coding all the display elements (it'll give you a basic empty window but beyond that you're on your own). Heck I've got something like 20 years commercial programming experience and I'd hesitate to start an app with what we have now.

Once we get to June they'll presumably release one with all the integration. A new user would IMO be better off waiting for that.

thanks i wont try then unless i find myself with nothing to do for a week which will not happen, but if it does.

 

[EagerDragon]

This is a lot like I predicted, but sweeter, and more complete. Only minor negative is that it is Intel only, unfortunately I do not have an Intel Mac. I guess I need to get one.

Love the live remote debugging. Apple does things first class.

 

[samab]

You people should look at the other mobile platforms for comparision.

DoCoMo keeps 9% of all imode revenue, the developers keep the remaining 91%.

Qualcomm keeps 10% of all BREW revenue, the carriers keep another 10% and the developers keep the remaining 80%.