FAQ: What does the iPhone SDK mean?
As expected, Apple Thursday unveiled a software development kit for its iPhone. The SDK dramatically expands what business users and consumers can do with their mobile devices.
What is the iPhone SDK?
The iPhone SDK is a software development kit that will allow third parties to create applications that can run directly on the iPhone and the
iPod Touch. The kit is significant because Apple can't possibly anticipate, nor produce, all the applications that people might want to use on an iPhone. And some of those applications will convince people who weren't sure about the iPhone to buy it.
When will it be available?
A beta version is scheduled to be released Thursday. The official iPhone SDK and the update for the iPod Touch will ship in June 2008. Certain types of enterprise developers will apparently have access to the official SDK prior to its formal release, although details are sketchy on exactly how that will work.
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How much does it cost?
The iPhone SDK beta can be downloaded for free today. Developers will be required to join the iPhone developer program, which allows developers to test their code, get tech support, and distribute their applications. That will cost $99 a year. A separate developer's program for developers that want to build in-house corporate applications will cost $299 a year. Apple will charge for the update to the iPod Touch as a result of the accouting treatment used for that product but hasn't said yet how much that will cost.
Have any applications already been developed for the iPhone?
Over a thousand Web applications are listed on Apple's Web site. And perhaps hundreds of unofficial applications have been created using so-called "jailbreaking" software. But the applications demonstrated today are the first official third-party applications shown by Apple.
Apple gave an advanced copy of the software development kit to developers from various companies to see what they could build in a few weeks. Apple showed off several of the resulting applications during Steve Jobs' speech on Thursday. Those applications appear to be conceptual models for now, as the companies will probably go back and take more time before releasing final versions.
They include Touch FX, which adds Photo Booth-style effects to a photo using your finger on the iPhone touch screen; Touch Fighter, the first official game for the iPhone; a mobile version of Electronic Arts' video game Spore; a Salesforce.com management application; an iPhone version of AOL instant messenger; a medical records app from Epocrates; and an iPhone version of Sega's video game Super Monkey Ball.
How will development for the iPhone work?
Anyone can download the SDK and develop an application, but you have to join Apple's iPhone Developer Program, and Apple is only accepting a "limited" number of applications at the moment. The application development process will be very similar to how applications are developed for
Mac OS X.
Applications will be distributed through Apple's newly announced App Store, which will be built in to the iPhone but is also accessible through iTunes. Apple plans on personally approving every application destined for the iPhone.
The applications are wirelessly downloaded to the iPhone over either EDGE or Wi-Fi. Developers name the price of their applications themselves and get 70 percent of the revenue from sales of their apps; Apple gets 30 percent. Free applications will be listed for free on the App Store and iTunes.
Can developers work on a PC?
No, the SDK will only work on Macs.
Can developers distribute their own iPhone apps?
No, the only way to develop official applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch is to go through Apple's process.
Where's the 3G model?
Apple said it wasn't addressing any hardware questions during today's event. Analysts expect one by midyear.
Will jailbreak still work?
The jailbreaking community will probably have to examine the new software update and revise its methods, but it will probably put in the effort to do so, because Apple does not plan to allow an official software application that would unlock the iPhone from its designated networks.
How will Apple address security?
Developers will have to electronically sign their applications to participate in the program, allowing Apple to track them down if a malicious application makes it through the gauntlet of Apple's approval process. Since the App Store is the only place where applications can be obtained, Apple can shut off the App Store if a malicious application is in the wild.
What new business features were introduced?
Apple has licensed Microsoft's ActiveSync protocol, which will allow the iPhone to wirelessly sync corporate e-mails, contacts, and calendar information quickly and safely with their corporate servers. The upcoming software release will also introduce Cisco's IPSec VPN for secure connections and the 802.1x security standard for improved Wi-Fi security.
What will this mean for Apple and the iPhone?
Apple will now be able to pitch the iPhone against the BlackBerry, the leading smartphone in North America, by emphasizing the new business features. And the new applications could provide potential customers with all sorts of new reasons to buy an iPhone.
Jennifer Guevin is assistant managing editor of CNET News. She focuses on science and green tech. But she also makes the occasional contribution to CNET's kitchen gadgets blog or writes about the latest Web distraction. Once a week, she takes the mic as host of CNET's Daily News Podcast. E-mail Jennifer. 
You definitley have no idea about the SDK, eh?
"A beta version is scheduled to be released Thursday."
A beta version of the SDK?
Guys, the SDK is out!
It's not beta anymore! ;)
________________________________
"The official iPhone SDK and the update for the iPod Touch will ship in June 2008"
Wrong! The SDK is shipped already! Another thing: the iPod touch and the iPhone update will be shipped in June, not just the iPod Touch update..
..
Did you guys actually went to watch the keynote?
or.. at least did you go and watch it online?
if not?
there you go:
www.apple.com
...
It said that the SDK will cost $99. So fricking what if you have the SDK in your hands today. You still won't be able to write an application AND install it onto your iPhone. THAT'S WHY this Thursday release is referred to as a beta!!!!!! Duuuuuuuuuuh!
http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2008/03/06iphone.html
http://iphone-2-0.blogspot.com
Large companies that develop their own in-house apps, also usually have large and powerful IT and legal departments... who are not going to be happy at the thought of the apps being hosted outside their company intranet.
I suspect that Apple will have to modify this idea.
many of which are happily hosted externally.
I manage more than a few in-house enterprise-level critters,
mostly engineering and R&D apps - many of which are accessed
and used across multiple continents.
Thing is, they're almost all web-based. With VPN capability
added to the iPhone, the ones which are more critical in mobile
applications can now be done on the iPhone. Those which can't
are complex enough (or x86-based) so that no portable
smartphone is big/powerful enough to use it.
Corporations outsource a huge host of apps that carry far more
critical information than their in-house stuff, and most evne
outsource their offsite tape storage, where the entire 'family
jewels' go into a carry-case (or the occasional van) and get
carted off to be stored by external companies.
Besides, have you ever used a Blackberry? All the email that goes
to it gets pushed through an external source - RIM. RIM can read
every eamil that goes through (unless you encrypt the things,
which I have yet to see done on at my current F500 employer).
/P
http://iphone-2-0.blogspot.com
Check out the first ever SDK forums..
http://planet-iphones.com/forums/index.php#10
guidelines, can be easily created, and distributed using the SDK,
and accompanying program.
However, until Apple unlocks the iPhone (allows it to run with
any carrier that will support its features such as voice mail), jail-
breaking will remain in place. There are an awful lot of phones
that run outside the carriers Apple is partnered with. China is a
huge one.
Unfortunately for the jail broken phone community, a lot of
developers will be eyeing this new opportunity like the latest
gold-rush.
http://iphone-2-0.blogspot.com
the SDK is free, it doesn't cost a penny!
you pay $99 for being part of the developer program which
means you get technical support + a beta version of the iPhone
2.0 software update. you can easily start writing programs
without paying the $99!
btw, do you know what beta is?
its software that isn't done! that means you wait a couple months
and then you have your full
release.
in this case there won't be a full release or something. the SDK
that is out there right now (for free to download) is everything
you will ever get. there won't be a better/newer SDK in June,
just a new iPhone software update.
http://iphone-2-0.blogspot.com
http://iphone-2-0.blogspot.com
referring to. The update includes the SDK and the new
enterprise features which are still in beta form.
The SDK itself is finished; it's the same SDK that Apple uses to
develop apps for the iPhone. Scott Forestall said it at the
beginning of his presentation.
The SDK itself is free, and includes the iPhone simulator. If you
want to live test your app on a real iPhone, you have to be a
registered iPhone developer. Registration + the ability to publish
your apps to the App Store will cost $99 / year, NOT $99 / per
app as some people are interpreting it.
http://iphone-2-0.blogspot.com
http://iphone-2-0.blogspot.com
And that's the cost to host/market/sell/deliver the application. The cost to develop the application is ZERO.
I'm baffled why people keep spreading this mis-information. It's really getting annoying.
downloaded the SDK, and joined the program. Yesterday (right
after the announcement).
So, hearing someone make that claim completely perplexes me.
Are you a developer? Do you have any income? You're argument
would imply that one-man shops have no money, and intend not to
make money to survive.
http://iphone-2-0.blogspot.com
http://iphone-2-0.blogspot.com
- by valaiba November 12, 2009 5:19 PM PST
- Almost two years later we can see that the SDK and the App store are a huge success. A lot of companies are joining the trend, with huge amounts of apps. The variety of iPhone apps available is no match for any competitor and became the real selling point for the iPhone. There are even companies like http://mobiletouchit.com that emerged with the only purpose to serve this new market. Maybe the Android platform will be able to match iPhone in the long run.
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