iPhone Developer Controversy

[Pangloss]

Here are a couple of reference articles on this subject:

http://www.techworld.com/mobility/features/index.cfm?featureID=3465&pagtype=all

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/061407-wwdc-developers-split-on-iphone.html

 

In a nutshell, developers are unhappy that Apple has not provided the ability to create 3rd-party applications for the iPhone, which is due to be released in a few days. This is actually mostly about money, because Jobs has said that he does want to provide this ability eventually, so mainly developers are upset about not being able to get in on early popularity. But there are some interesting twists to this story that I think have a larger context in the realm of the computer industry.

 

Initially developers will have the ability to write applications for the iPhone, but only using AJAX and CSS techniques in the built-in Safari web browser. This has important cost implications because it has not yet been announced whether the iPhone will have an "unlimited internet" type of plan. If it doesn't then that would make those applications very expensive to use, not to mention the fact that they wouldn't work at all if no access to the network was available.

 

But what's most interesting to me are some of the comments coming out of the Apple fanboys. Some typical examples of which may be found here:

 

http://www.macworld.com/forums/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=editorsnotes&Number=508325&page=0&view=collapsed

 

Some notable examples:

 

It makes sense for Apple to strictly control what software becomes available, so it's all high caliber and can create a strong brand image for the iPhone. Apple will certainly allow third-parties to develop genuine iPhone apps, but it will work with select third-parties to 1) identify the need for an app, and 2) make sure that it's high-quality.

 

No offense, but I didn't want any developer access, it's too risky. DEvelopers got what they did, and beggars can't be choosers. The importance of security is #1 and Apple has no real obligation to open up the iPhone to anyone.

 

How delightfully, ironically Orwellian! I guess 2008 will be... just like 1984.

 

Of course, most of the comments on that page are in support of open access and are saying "just be patient". But isn't this so typical of Apple's ongoing open-or-closed dilemma? So historic, and yet, so current.

[swansont]

John Gruber's take

http://daringfireball.net/2007/06/wherefore_art_thou_iphone_sdk

 

"Look at it this way: Apple needs to ship the iPhone. If we assume that, privately, Apple has planned all along to eventually open the iPhone to third-party development, it’s still easy to see why it’s shipping without such support: it would have taken longer to ship. Officially supported APIs take time to document, and they’re a commitment. While iPhone development remains private to Apple, Apple is free to change and shift the APIs as they see fit. If they make a change that requires changes to every existing iPhone app, that’s OK, because every existing iPhone app is theirs."

 

He also blasts Jobs for mishandling (some of) the 3rd party app PR in this and other parts of his blog. i.e. what Apple should be saying, instead of the other things they actually are saying (like iphone apps are web apps).

[bascule]

I thought uncov's take on this was awesome:

 

http://www.uncov.com/2007/6/12/safari-ajax-my-iphone