iPhoneIf iPhone is an electronic Pinocchio desiring above all to be a legitimate mobile computer, the Blue Fairy just granted its wish. Steve Jobs announced iPhone SDK (Software Development Kit) would land in third party developers’ hands by Feb. 2008. We’re only a month away.

Apple’s forthcoming SDK will apply to both iPhone and iPod Touch. The announcement has coders everywhere texting their relief: "OMG, ABFT." [http://www.wired.com/gadgets/mac/news/2007/10/iphone_sdk]

But what does the announcement really mean? For starters, third party companies will be able to make software to run on your iPhone. Even though Apple will probably require certification and the apps will most likely only be available from Apple.  iPhone  will soon enter the  arena of serious mobile computers like those manufactured by brands like RIM, Palm and Motorola.

Until the SDK announcement it wasn’t clear if Apple would ever invite third party software on iPhone. Apple took on uncharacteristic, militant tones with the development community when it warned hackers that new firmware updates are liable to brick iPhones containing third party software. Apple seemed to be turning into the man.

But we all knew iPhone needed a SDK to be a real mobile computer. Despite amazing media capabilities, innovative touch interface and elegant Apple design. Without third party applications like AIM, Skype and even Microsoft Exchange synchronization - iPhone is just a wooden toy-puppet.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, December 20th, 2007 at 12:15 pm and is filed under Portable. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.