Official iPhone Games in the Works?

[brainless]

Apple, on the other hand, needs to control tightly the code that goes on their phone, lest some error frought code brings down the network.

This is really a huge MYTH introduced by Jobs at Macworld speech, but it has no reasons in the real world. How can you bring down the network by whatever malfunctioning iPhone ? What can it do ? Making calls (one at a time), sending SMS (those 160 overpriced bytes of data), and using GPRS/EDGE at whopping 100 kB/s - how can this bring network down ?
iPhone runs MacOS X, similar to the desktop version. I can imagine if this platform is hostile to viruses and spam, it can generate some traffic that can be issue to the network, but in such case all of us, desktop users, are in trouble as well. Is this a case ? I don't think so.

Yes, an application can be written poorly, with bugs etc. but such vendor will go away by the means of the free market (in the long term no one wants to buy a bad SW), thus any regulation in that regard is not neccessary.

The only reason iPhone is not open for third party applications is that Apple wants to collect huge fees from the publishers and also split the revenues from the single sold copy, in the way iTunes works. But at least, there are freebies in iTunes.

iPhone needs to open up !

 

[diamond.g]

For console makers, it has nothing to do with control. It's about who is willing to pay the exorbitant console licensing fees. Remember, the iPhone makes money for Apple, something the console makers only dream of. Besides, if it was about control, I don't think that they would have allowed some of the games I've seen. Apple, on the other hand, needs to control tightly the code that goes on their phone, lest some error frought code brings down the network. People who hack their own games on to the iPhone, understand the risk and are not going to blame Apple when their phone has to be reset.

Yeah, licensing fees are apart of it. But if you think Nintendo has ever launched a console at a lost, then you are sadly mistaken. Sony, and MS started the loss leading thing. And they do control what games get put on the systems, which is why you see zero AO games for them. Google Manhunt 2.
The whole code bringing down the network is complete crap. You can get software for the Treo's/Windows Mobile phones and none of it has ever brought down any call network.

 

[thomasfxlt]

This is really a huge MYTH introduced by Jobs at Macworld speech, but it has no reasons in the real world. How can you bring down the network by whatever malfunctioning iPhone ? What can it do ? Making calls (one at a time), sending SMS (those 160 overpriced bytes of data), and using GPRS/EDGE at whopping 100 kB/s - how can this bring network down ?
iPhone runs MacOS X, similar to the desktop version. I can imagine if this platform is hostile to viruses and spam, it can generate some traffic that can be issue to the network, but in such case all of us, desktop users, are in trouble as well. Is this a case ? I don't think so.

Yes, an application can be written poorly, with bugs etc. but such vendor will go away by the means of the free market (in the long term no one wants to buy a bad SW), thus any regulation in that regard is not neccessary.

The only reason iPhone is not open for third party applications is that Apple wants to collect huge fees from the publishers and also split the revenues from the single sold copy, in the way iTunes works. But at least, there are freebies in iTunes.

iPhone needs to open up !

I won't argue that there's some motivation in the revenue opportunity, but primarily Apple is protecting the integrity of the stability of the iPhone. 3rd party apps are a huge risk to the device at this early stage of Apple's foray into the cellular market.

 

[diamond.g]

3rd party apps are a huge risk to the device at this early stage of Apple's foray into the cellular market.

How so?

 

[brainless]

3rd party apps are a huge risk to the device at this early stage of Apple's foray into the cellular market.

Third party apps are what they are. With some 20+ years of happy co-existence of BFU and third party apps on the PC noone will blame iPhone for bad applications.

What I consider real foolish is idea that only 3rd party apps should be served from within the browser. This is not going to work from the very nature of the mobile phones - there are situations you need to run an application even if there is no network coverage. iPhone is ill designed in that regard.

I give Apple a mulligan till the end of the year to open up the platform - I undestand there was so many issues to work on and 3rd party apps might not be high on the priority list, but it is impossible for iPhone to survive without 3rd party support.