Minimum Tempo

Apple had their iPhone Software Roadmap conference today, announcing many new things including a massive update for enterprise customers, immediate SDK availability, and the App Store.

Enterprise customers will be happy because the iPhone/iPod touch will receive:

• Push email, calendar, and contacts
• Global address list
• Cisco IPsec VPN
• Certificates and Identities
• WPA2 / 802.11x support
• “Enforced security policies”
• “Device configuration”
• Remote wipe
• Full Microsoft Exchange support (ActiveSync, yay)

All of this is available through the existing iPhone apps, and the contacts, email, and calendar syncs can all be done with the flick of a switch.

Most importantly, we have SDK news. The iPhone OS consists of four layers: Cocoa Touch (Cocoa designed specifically for multi-touch devices), media layer, core services, and the core OS. Third-party developers will have access to all the APIs that Apple uses to utilize the accelerometer, contacts DB, alerts, web view, etc. Through the media layer, iPhone and iPod touch apps can use OpenAL and OpenGL ES.

What has Apple provided to help with software development?

• Xcode - source code editor, remote debugger, project manager, compiler; has complete support for the iPhone SDK and its APIs
• Interface-Builder - tool to create the UI for apps; localization supported
• iPhone Simulator - Mac application that simulates the iPhone on the computer; allows for application testing right on your Mac

So what are some examples of software that developers can create with this…

• Spore - Yes, EA is developing an iPhone/iPod touch version of the heavily anticipated Will Wright game, Spore
• salesforce.com’s app - … uhh, business stuff.
• AIM - AOL Instant Messenger on your iPhone or iPod touch, hell yes.
• Super Monkey Ball - Sega is developing Super Monkey Ball which will use the accelerometer

How will you get these applications? Through the new App Store. This application (which will be available freely for iPhone owners and available with a nominal fee for iPod touch owners) is basically the iTunes Store of applications. There are different categories (Featured, Just Added, Staff Favs, etc.) and can be accessed and used through both EDGE and WiFi. It will be the only possible way (with the exception of Jailbreaking) to download iPhone apps onto the iPhone or iPod touch. Users will be notified automatically of software updates.

Money? Well…

• Price determined by developer
• 70% of revenue for developer; 30% for Apple to cover server costs
• No other fees
• No charge for both the developer and the user for free apps

There are limitations to these apps: no porn, malicious apps or SIM unlocking software.

The iPhone firmware 2.0 and app support will be released freely this coming June for every iPhone customer, but iPod touch owners will be required to pay. There’s an Enterprise beta program (click for more details)! Joining the dev program also costs $99 (to get apps signed and available for download in the App Store). VoIP apps are also allowed except over EDGE. The 2.0 update will also feature parental controls so parents can disable things like Safari and the App Store (wtf is the point of getting an iPhone without being able to use Safari?).

I am extremely excited by this news, except for the fact that it will cost money for iPod touch owners (just like the January Software Update). I don’t think it’s fair that we’re getting charged for more… so Jailbreak will always be around for me, heh.

This post is tagged App Store, Apple, iPhone, iPod touch, SDK, Software

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