Apple iPhone Apps Coming, but Limited - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple iPhone Apps Coming, but Limited

A New York Times article reveals some information about Apple's iPhone and the possibility of 3rd party applications.

The article quotes Steve Jobs about why Apple does not want to allow any 3rd party developer make applications for the iPhone:

We define everything that is on the phone. You dont want your phone to be like a PC. The last thing you want is to have loaded three apps on your phone and then you go to make a call and it doesnt work anymore. These are more like iPods than they are like computers.

While saying this, Jobs does reveal that there will likely be additional applications that can be bought later and installed, but that this will be in a "controlled environment". Apple adopts a similar approach with iPod game development -- only allowing specific products to be developed and released.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple iCloud Plus expansion hero

iCloud+ Now Includes Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and Curated Apple Music Stations in Over 100 Countries

Tuesday September 15, 2026 1:43 am PDT by
Apple today announced a new subscription initiative that turns paid iCloud+ subscriptions into a broader services bundle in more than 100 countries. In select countries, Apple says every paid iCloud+ plan, including the cheapest 50GB tier, now includes Apple TV and Apple Arcade "at no additional cost," while family sharing extends the storage, TV and Arcade access to up to five people....
Everything New Your iPhone Can Do on iOS 27 Feature 1

50 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 27 - Out Now!

Monday September 14, 2026 10:48 pm PDT by
Apple released iOS 27 this week, and despite the company's focus this year on refining its flagship operating system and nixing bugs, there are still many additional features to explore, not least of which is Apple's new context-aware Siri, re-tooled for the generative AI era. Which iPhones Support Every iOS 27 Feature? This year's major iPhone software update isn't all about AI, though,...
iOS 27 Icon iPhone

iOS 27 Available Now With These 8 New Features

Monday September 14, 2026 9:00 am PDT by
Update — 10 a.m. Pacific Time: Apple has released iOS 27. During its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo event last week, Apple announced that iOS 27 will be released widely on Monday, September 14. iOS 27 should be available around 10 a.m. Pacific Time / 1 p.m. Eastern Time today via the Settings app, under General → Software Update. Below, we have highlighted eight new features and...

Top Rated Comments

257 months ago
The iPhone can kiss my iAss.

It's going to be terrible without any 3rd party apps.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)