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Apple Still Considering 3rd Party iPhone App Development?

One additional tidbit from Apple's shareholder meeting notes was a revealing blurb that Apple still hadn't completely decided whether or not they will open the iPhone to 3rd party developers.

Jobs did acknowledge that the company is still struggling to decide if third-party developers will be able to create software that will run on the iPhone. Its a decision Apple is wrestling with, according to Jobs.


Apple's choice to limit iPhone development has been the target of a lot of criticism against the iPhone. In the days after the iPhone announcement, Jobs stated that while you will be able to purchase and install additional applications on the iPhone, that this would be limited and in a "controlled environment". As a result, the iPhone has been described as a "closed device" which could make enterprise market penetration difficult.

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62 months ago
If Apple refuses to allow 3rd party apps, they better come up with some cool stuff in the future. But taking it that the iPhone runs OSX, it would almost be a waste to not allow 3rd party apps to go into the iPhone.
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62 months ago
I think they should open it up, but just do it right. C'mon Apple, become the cell phone juggernaut like MS is with windows.
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62 months ago
If they made the OS right, they should have no problems opening it up. I mean, look at OS X, you can install tons of apps and it is still pretty hard to screw up vs. windows.
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62 months ago
I don't see how they can avoid it. The iPhone is going to start a whole new thing that will have compitition. The phone market is going to be a harder market to gain in than music players were. And you can be certain that the competition will have open platforms to write application and services. Does Apple want to compete against all that alone?

I think the iPhone needs to be looked at as a new platform. It's way more than a phone. The Internet communication part of this device is far more important than the phone, but it gets the least attention. It's the internet and the services that will grow up around the iPhone that will matter most.
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62 months ago
I hope Apple garners alot of 3rd party software developer support! It could rub off on to other hardware, like the computers and iPods.
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62 months ago
.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't WIDGETS in OS X essentially already a platform for 3rd party stuff??? Macworld Widget, Lava Lamp Widget...:)
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62 months ago
Regardless, the processor in an iPhone appears to be ARM, not PPC or x86. No existing OS X apps will run unless recompiled for ARM. It would be great if Apple gives developers tools to do that.

It's a matter of two different strategies for a phone: make a rock-solid appliance or make a flexible platform. BOTH have real advantages.

I personally want to be able to install anything anyone comes up with!

On the other, hand for MOST phone users, rock-solid stability with ALL apps ALWAYS working alike is very important. Install some 3rd party app that crashes or accidentally messes with voicemail notification, and the iPhone experience is harmed. SOME of us can deal with that, but MOST people are best served by stability. An iPod is more stable than a Mac in part BECAUSE it is closed to third parties. And what about when Apple adds features or tweaks the OS, as the clearly plan to do? Updates would sometimes break 3rd-party apps and make iPhone customers unhappy. I wouldn't blame them for not opening these cans of worms.

I hope, though, that they find some compromise in the midd;e. Like letting advanced users unlock the phone to app installation, with a huge disclaimer. Or pre-screening all apps, requiring them to be done within strict requirements and allowing only the very best to be installed. Or allowing HTML-based widgets and nothing more. Or something that keeps the iPhone 110% stable while leaving some flexibility too.

(And remember that the iPhone is in many ways making a NEW niche with new rules, not necessarily trying to be a Blackberry or Palm replacement in their same existing markets.)
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62 months ago
They could always start with a limited approach, like partnering with a few select companies. After all, they dont want to have people calling in to apple support everytime some 3rd party widget screws up their phone especially if phone communications is critical part of a business.

I think overall opening it up a bit to 3rd party apps might motivate people to buy an iphone. :)
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62 months ago

The Internet communication part of this device is far more important than the phone, but it gets the least attention. It's the internet and the services that will grow up around the iPhone that will matter most.


How I'd love to be at an Estate Sale with an iphone, checking out current Ebay auction prices for stuff.

The internet on that thing looks so very cool.
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62 months ago

If they made the OS right, they should have no problems opening it up. I mean, look at OS X, you can install tons of apps and it is still pretty hard to screw up vs. windows.


"Pretty hard to screw up" is not good enough for a phone. I want my phone to be stable like my iPod--which NEVER fails. Not stable like my Mac which ALMOST never fails. At least when some game or utility crashes on my Mac, once in a blue moon, it doesn't stop me from getting a call that was arriving.

There's no foolproof way to open an OS to total freedom of app installation. There may, I hope, be some reasonable limits that allow SOME freedom.
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