Apple Still Considering 3rd Party iPhone App Development?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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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...:)

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.)

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. :)

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.

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.