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Apple to offer limited 3rd party iPhone app support?
engadget.com — Look, there's simply no way Apple isn't eventually going to open up the iPhone to 3rd party support -- it's really a matter of when and how, if you ask us. Of course, the possibility we've been most anxious about is Apple eschewing the open platform philosophy and starting to vend only "certified' apps via iTunes - which is what 9to5Mac is now ...
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- 5hocker, on 10/10/2007, -4/+23This seems very likely to me and wouldn't be a departure from any of the tactics apple already uses with its other ipods. It seems quite likely in fact.
Unfortunately, until there is a real competitor to the iPhone, no not the N95 or Open Moko - they aren't even close - Apple can do whatever the ***** it wants.
If you want to blame anyone, blame Apple's competitors for not offering hardware and software that matches this device on an open platform. Until one does, if you want to have the best phone, you have to put up with the company that knows it.
Its kinda like dating a girl who knows she's hot as *****. I would guess anyways...
original article:
http://www.9to5mac.com/apple-adopts-sidekick-appli ...- mrsteveman1, on 10/10/2007, -2/+0Yea, except Apple (and the hot girlfriend) love control, and until they are forced to change, they won't. Apple has too much history of obsessive crap and control over things that shouldn't even matter, such as suing people who provide themes for an OS.
But yes, i would also blame the market itself for making incompetent products and allowing carriers to exert control over everything.- thebutcher2, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3I would like to control the hot girlfriend.
- joe90210, on 10/10/2007, -7/+2lol how are the competitors not even close? because they don't show a fancy coverflow of your album art?
- bovox, on 10/10/2007, -2/+8Because they are inept when it comes to industrial design, user experience design, user interface design. Design is more than just making things look pretty. Unfortunately, the iPhone's competitors cannot seem to grasp this simple concept. They hide behind disjointed, poorly implemented, poorly integrated obscure features because they lack the sophistication to see things otherwise.
To these types of people I say: "It's the design, stupid."
- bovox, on 10/10/2007, -2/+8Because they are inept when it comes to industrial design, user experience design, user interface design. Design is more than just making things look pretty. Unfortunately, the iPhone's competitors cannot seem to grasp this simple concept. They hide behind disjointed, poorly implemented, poorly integrated obscure features because they lack the sophistication to see things otherwise.
- llsethj, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4actually it is like the brother-in-law/uncle character on Weeds that took it in the arse for the hot chick that kep him out of the military. Disregard if you don't get it
- mrsteveman1, on 10/10/2007, -2/+0Yea, except Apple (and the hot girlfriend) love control, and until they are forced to change, they won't. Apple has too much history of obsessive crap and control over things that shouldn't even matter, such as suing people who provide themes for an OS.
- EpidemiK, on 10/10/2007, -9/+1This is grate news for me!
- psilanthropist, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4actually this is terrible news. that sidekick distribution model, do you realize what that means. no more free apps. you have to pay for everyting. so far some kind of de facto standard had been maintained by which all apps on the iphone were free and open source. now that apple steps into it, judgining by heir recent track record, i think they're going to make as much money as possible from this,
- senatorpjt, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1It's kind of hard to charge for apps when the next firmware update might make them stop working forever.
- chuffdogg, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Have you read "Grate expectations" by Edmund Wells?
- inkswamp, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1No, but I've read David Coperfield with one p also by Edmund Wells.
- psilanthropist, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4actually this is terrible news. that sidekick distribution model, do you realize what that means. no more free apps. you have to pay for everyting. so far some kind of de facto standard had been maintained by which all apps on the iphone were free and open source. now that apple steps into it, judgining by heir recent track record, i think they're going to make as much money as possible from this,
- GreenAlien, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6Here's hoping they add official 3rd party app support to the iPhone and iPod Touch. It's the only reason I havent bought one yet.
- streak, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1Where there's a wallet, there's a way.
- mathcreative, on 10/10/2007, -3/+1It seems like we as consumers , not only do we have to shout out loud to these kinda of companies. We have to teach them and discipline them too. Like babies, that never learn.
- jeffchuck, on 10/10/2007, -2/+7This is just a summary of a rumor article that was on Digg last week. How many different ways do we need to see the same speculation written?
- sancho320, on 10/10/2007, -0/+117
- gubin09, on 10/10/2007, -6/+1Since when has Apple done anything to open up its platforms?
- meatmcguffin, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Uh....everyone can develop apps for macs
- cacaodude, on 10/10/2007, -3/+0yay let's make applescripts and palettes w00t
- inkswamp, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3Or develop on the XCode tools that Apple gives away for free.
- cacaodude, on 10/10/2007, -3/+0yay let's make applescripts and palettes w00t
- meatmcguffin, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Uh....everyone can develop apps for macs
- halosniper7, on 10/10/2007, -2/+3"...if you ask us"
- .Steven, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5Dude, news doesn't have a question mark. If it isn't fact, don't post it!
- cacaodude, on 10/10/2007, -2/+0Hey Digg, how's that "Shocking" section coming along?
- over90000, on 10/10/2007, -4/+1If this was MS, they would have already been sued by now for anti-consumer tactics.
- cacaodude, on 10/10/2007, -1/+0Apple nvented ajax!!1 i swear!
- mrsteveman1, on 10/10/2007, -2/+4I seem to remember a certain group of people on Digg, telling anyone who complained about the lack of 3rd party apps to shut up and stop trying, and "you knew what it was before you bought it". The only way things change is with complaining loudly and affecting Apples business until they do what the market wants.
Don't get me wrong, 3rd party apps won't happen unless Apple stands to make substantially more money from it, but you have no chance unless you make them listen. - Lick, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3This isn't news. This is another speculation blogpost.
- selfdisplaced, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2it would be interesting to see if apple had some report that showed how many of the 2mil+ iphone updated to the 1.1.1 and how many phones haven't. i'd be willing to bet that they'd see a huge number of phones that have never been updated.
- mostreliable, on 10/10/2007, -3/+2buried for being iphone spam
- Aleks, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2Why can't you block the Apple Category then!?!?!?!!
- Aleks, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2Why can't you block the Apple Category then!?!?!?!!
- shortarabguy, on 10/10/2007, -2/+2Wow, it's amazing that something so short and so poorly written can do so well on Digg. The article starts off like a radio show host in terms of sounding legitimate, and continues to talk about how inevitable it is that Apple will come out with an iPhone supporting third-party applications, despite ignoring obvious flaws.
1) After everything that has happened to Apple customers and for Microsoft customers( Zune upgrade, etc...), Apple can't afford to shaft its customers again with a special iPhone that makes the other iPhones of identical specifications completely worthless.
2) Apple could sell a service that would unlock and make usable current iPhones and at least get in on the market of people trying to circumvent them if they were going to let it happen anyway.
3) Apple has a vested interest in keeping iPhones from allowing third-party applications( stop spamming that ***** about Apple's best interest being free market. That's *****. They can get you to pay for ring tones, that is in their best interest- To get you to pay for ring tones and other meaningless crap). - akh4x0r, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1I thought the stories would end when the ***** phone was released.
- kkiran, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3So,Apple is gearing to sell games and apps via iTunes like Ringtones?? No open source development?? Bad strategy, cmon Apple, you are already taking a cut from AT&T (every month's bill) and Ringtones. Why no 3rd party (open source)??
- senatorpjt, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1To be fair, opening up the phone to native 3rd party apps also opens up the phone to free ringtones and carrier unlocks. It's hard to get either of those if you can't even run code on it.
- Karmavs, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Why? Because they're taking a cut from AT&T.
A Free SDK would mean IM apps, Free SMS apps & VOIP apps could be developed - which could potenntially severely impact AT&Ts bottom line - (actually, there already are IM & free SMS apps for hacked iPhones) - and would quite likely violate the Apple-at&t contract.
They could sidestep this issue if they wanted by not documenting use of the network in the SDK, but given that that part of it is exactly the same as on Macs, i don't think AT&T would let them play dumb.
- RegalGSX, on 10/10/2007, -2/+0Open up the iPhone for third-party development already, Apple you ***** bastards.
- inkswamp, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1So those of you who come here to express outrage about this possibility, please explain why you gladly support Microsoft, Sony and/or Nintendo who exert this exact kind of control (if not more so) over their video game consoles. I see lots of fawning over the great games, but I don't see a whole lot of complaining about that sort of control. However, when it comes to Apple, it's like the sky is falling and Steve Jobs is the second coming of Hitler. Seems like a double-standard to me, but then I'm wacky like that. I like to think critically about these things instead of going off half-cocked with some emotional outburst.
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