WWDC: iPhone Release Time, Developer Access

[RnSK]

Well...the word on the ground about iPhone apps is...

.."we'll see".

There is a lot that can be done, depending on one or two things, one or two bones apple *may* throw, which I won't get into until i know a wee bit more.

Neither of these bones give a skype...sorry kids.

If they aren't there, however, its about as dead as fried chicken.

 

[gifford]

I have been, reading this site for many years, and I have finaly decided to register and post something...
I have spent the last few years preparing myself to become a mac developer with Objective C and Cocoa. Mainly because I detest the mucky world of web technologies I was once part of. And partly because I had an incling that one day Apple would release an iPhone that would sell like hotcakes, that I could then make applications for.
I would just like to voice my anoyance with the lack of a proper SDK at this keynote.
After finaly getting my head round cocoa and the peculiar syntax of Objective C, I have now grown to love it. Really love it. And no way in HELL will I go back to using web technologies. I had some great ideas for Apps, and now im going to have to wait until Apple decide to come to their senses.

 

[mudaudio]

I sure hope that kid has a heckuva host server package, because the bandwidth costs of hosting a popular "Web 2.0" application will be more than he'll spend on college.

it's ok, the kid will probably be the offspring of some lucky soul who stumped for some Apple shares back in 2001

 

[Rocketman]

I am trying to decide if I am disappointed by the lack of hardware announcements, or, am satisfied with the hardware that *IS* out and wish for it to have a long and happy product cycle.

I choose the latter.

Rocketman

 

[darwen]

He'll probably give the iPhone it's own keynote about a week before it goes live. They'll announce all pricing finalities and service plans at that time, they'll demo any new features they've added, the press will go wild and it will boost last minute recognition of the iPhone to get as many people as possible to jump onto one.

We can only hope. It is around the corner though. 18 days... kinda short notice if the keynote you are suggesting is gonna happen about 11 days from now.

 

[darwen]

I can understand the lack of GPS as a disappointment, but I continue to wonder about the IM concerns. If you have something quick to say, why not call the person? Also, when the iPhone takes over the world, everyone will have "push" email accounts, which will serve to get text to someone just as quickly as an IM.

Yeah, but what about the casual bored conversations. What about when you are sitting in a waiting room and are just looking for someone to chat with to pass the time. IM has serious advantages of email, calling, or even texting. It shows you if the person is actually available to respond NOW. You know you leave some emails un-attended in your inbox for a couple hours...

 

[DMann]

Apple and AT&T

I have been, reading this site for many years, and I have finaly decided to register and post something...
I have spent the last few years preparing myself to become a mac developer with Objective C and Cocoa. Mainly because I detest the mucky world of web technologies I was once part of. And partly because I had an incling that one day Apple would release an iPhone that would sell like hotcakes, that I could then make applications for.
I would just like to voice my anoyance with the lack of a proper SDK at this keynote.
After finaly getting my head round cocoa and the peculiar syntax of Objective C, I have now grown to love it. Really love it. And no way in HELL will I go back to using web technologies. I had some great ideas for Apps, and now im going to have to wait until Apple decide to come to their senses.

I'm sure we would have had iPhone SDK's long ago if it weren't for AT&T's restrictive paranoia regarding Skype, IM capabilities, competition, et. al. We'll all be happier AFTER the iPhone is released in 18 days, as work arounds will be set into motion. (at warp speed)

 

[natejohnstone@g]

iPhone rebate for "Back to School?"

So do you guys think that Apple will expand the iPod Back to School deal to include an optional $199 off an iPhone??
I'm already going to buy a new MacBook, so that would be the clincher for me to get an iPhone!!

 

[DTphonehome]

So do you guys think that Apple will expand the iPod Back to School deal to include an optional $199 off an iPhone??
I'm already going to buy a new MacBook, so that would be the clincher for me to get an iPhone!!

I think they've specifically excluded the iPhone from that promotion.

 

[centauratlas]

AJAX etc

After looking at the information, I think that as of now using the AJAX/Safari approach will definitely limit the apps available for the iPhone.

For example, it seems unlikely that one will be able to read internal information from the phone initially (e.g. OS version, phone state-locked screen,locked keyboard, picture mode, movie mode, landscape/portrait mode or even lower level stuff such as microphone data, send to speaker, cell signal strength). Those are useful because you may not want your application to run if someone is watching a movie, for example.

Eventually, there will need to be some XML interface for reading that type of data. I would hope it would be with the initial release, but I doubt it. I've not been able to determine that for sure. Anyone have more details?

AJAX is fine for some apps and it is a fine start, but being able to access (at least read, not write) iPhone internal data is important for other, more advanced applications. I hope that in the future version will incorporate more features.

I am curious how much information will be available from WebKit on the iPhone. And if Dashcode will be supported for development and how much it will help automate - it would be logical.

It does look like there are at least 2 sessions that cover AJAX and Safari etc, but alas I'm not attending them.

 

[pyramid6]

*after reading 3 pages of whiners*
...
Thank you for contributing to the human race. And yes, I'm well aware I'm venting and that I'm not contributing either. I blame you for that.

~Tyler
Earendil

Nothing worse than whiners whining about whiners.

Some of us did contribute your holiness.

P6

Edit: Incase you didn't read, I think AJAX is a poor choice.

 

[aswitcher]

Looking forward to hearing about the other features Leopard has in the next few days.

 

[tribulation]

Nice video, but where's the camera?

Apple has been pushing the video iChat so hard for years now. Yet for pro customers and mini users without a built in isight, they don't have a camera?!
They pulled the external iSight months ago, many months if I remember correctly. Of course we could use 3rd party ones, but the isight had some nice features that worked much better than most other web cams out there.

How could they be so shortsided to fumble this up so badly? They're obviously waiting to put a built in one inside the next Cinema display revision, but that has been a ridiculously long time as well. They sure as heck aren't giving anyone [without a built in isight] any incentive whatsoever to get into the iChat video game. Seems pretty stupid to me.

 

[gco212]

Seems like a lot of you didn't follow the golden rule of stocks, buy on rumors, sell on news. You knew the news was going to come at the keynote, and probably should have sold before hand. Don't worry about it too much though, it'll rebound before the end of the week (it's already up more than a point in afterhours trading).

 

[maknik]

3000 Widgets...

Jobs repeated emphasized that there were over 3000 widgets currently available. How many of those could have been made if the developers had to support a server to run them on the back end? Versiontracker.com has about 20-50 mac freeware and shareware apps/updates appearing every day -- how many of those freeware and shareware developers can afford to run their app off their own servers, especially if it takes off in popularity?

I myself have had a few ideas for small apps for the iphone, but no matter how easy it is to write in AJAX or whatever, there's no way I can afford to host the apps. As far as I can tell, this kills most freeware and much cheap shareware, even apart from the ease of development or the limitations on interfacing with the iphone.

Plus, you never know when a supported app might die as the developer finds he can't afford the servers, or loses interest. And many who do try to provide freeware will be forced to rely on advertising, filling up our "applications" with ads. So add me to the list of the disappointed.

 

[slackpacker]

listen you !!...

Apple is going to have a big issue with security.... by opening up the iPhone to every yahoo bozo who wants to write an app for it they are asking for trouble.

Deal with it until they figure out whos going to make something worthwhile for it.

 

[tribulation]

...talking about the other Leopard features features that the public hasn't seen, he talked about 8 things he talked about Last Year. And the iPhone 'SDK' is near, but not totally worthless.

nicely said and dead-on. nothing to see here, move along.

 

[Mike Teezie]

Maybe Apple could host some of the best apps on their servers?

Of course, how to choose which ones to host would be a whole other can of worms......

 

[fastdrive]

If they really expect developers to publish web based apps, how can they explain not including 3G.

If you are going to push web based apps you have to offer a 3G iphone. If you offer EDGE, then you have to include SDK's so that apps can run locally.

 

[Eric1285]

So the 6PM release time kind of ruins my camping plan. I don't know if I'll be able to miss work to stand in line for an iPhone.

 

[tribulation]

And no way in HELL will I go back to using web technologies. I had some great ideas for Apps, and now im going to have to wait until Apple decide to come to their senses.

That's the way I see it too. Web technologies [AJAX, JS, ... ...] vs. a mature OOP language like C/ObjC is basically along the lines of programming for an Apple II vs Mac Pro.

AJAX, Javascript, etc. amount to very little when it comes to any type of modern usable application. For displaying some database tables or plotting a point on a map, sure it'll work, and it'll be a pain in the *ss to make. When you have the power of OS X and a semi capable processor, there's no excuse for the lack of an SDK. No third-party dev support would probably have been better news than .5% support via AJAX crap. Seriously people, this will not provide anyone with anything worthwhile, I can guarantee that.

 

[4nNtt]

This is great news for enterprises... but...

I think this is a great way for enterprises to use the iPhone. This is sounding alot more like a corporate phone to me. I think most consumer apps will need more then just a canvas tag and links to builtin apps. There are also problems: how will custom apps be used on an airplane for example. I had an idea for an app that would need to work inside a store (there is no reception in most stores i visit). This also completely throws out anything with significant custom ui and anything processor intensive. I think it would be really cool to have core data support on the iphone. Maybe Apple/AT&T will have a change of heart. There has got to be a better way to block wifi-phone software... Even if it means no low level networking support.

 

[rjlawrencejr]

The moral outrage dispensed on the boards borders on the pathetic. I say that because I am not sure if the outcry is a product of simple over-ambitious expectations or if it is more a sign of immaturity housed in a lack of reality that then leads to overly ambitious expecatations. In either case, hyperbole abounds, and I find it quite comical either way.

I am not demanding an end to criticism (for starters, it's not my forum), because criticism and discussion are healthy. But when the discourse is uninformed and pedantic, it becomes nothing more than a heap of empty complaints. For instance there are now dozens upon dozens of messages questioniong Apple's decision to not include an SDK and dozens upon dozens more criticising the Web 2.0/AJAX directive. While you have every right to criticise the decision, I have seen almost no information suggesting what apps I could get based on an SDK vs what apps I will get based on Web 2.0/AJAX. (I haven't read all of the posts so please enlighten me if there are concrete suggestions). I have seen folks say I had something in mind, but everyone is keeping their ideas close to the vest - so as far as I am concerned, I have heard no suggestions.

Now I am not a developer, but when I read Jobs' announcement this morning regarding Web 2.0/AJAX development, it brought a smile to my face because it confirmed to me that the mobile version of Safari would indeed function like its desktop sibling. Prior to today, that wasn't the case (and yes there are still some additional question marks with Flash support), all we knew was how web sites such as the NYTimes would look.

But with today's announcement, I have really high hopes at the prospect of using Google's suite of apps as well as meebo for instant messaging. The only thing that might temper my optimism is how well these apps run, particularly when using at&t's data network (especially if at&t attempts to restrict access to certain sites). However, if the experience is even in the ballpark of what I experience on the desktop side, then I will most certainly be satisfied.

Call me a sucker or maybe I am just easy to please. Either way, I am looking forward to the future.

 

[loudestnoise]

So the 6PM release time kind of ruins my camping plan. I don't know if I'll be able to miss work to stand in line for an iPhone.

That's quite unfortunate, I guess it's nice right now to be a college student/employed only part time right now, I can kind of schedule a day off for the whole iPhone release day celebration.

 

[dicklacara]

An excellent first step. Doesn't mean it will be the last.

Flexibility and power with maximum security and minimum risk of crashing your phone? Sounds good to me. I've seen the horror stories of uncontrolled 3rd-party development causing crashes on other "smart" phones. A phone that... crashes? No thanks.

Now, I DO appreciate the benefits of that kind of free-for-all, but Apple's compromise here has undeniable benefits as well.

This is a good, common-sense, way to look at the Web 2.0/AJAX solution to iPhone app development:

1) provides most/much of what you need to write mini-apps/widgets
2) can be enhanced (in the future) to allow system-level calls to do whatever OS X can do
3) faster time-to market than more rigorous development efforts
4) little performance penalty as most widget/apps won't require sophisticated multi-tasking or OS integration
5) those that do, can be readily prototyped then developed thru formal API (if needed)