---

Snip
Native SDK for iPhone and iPod Touch coming by February

Third Party Applications on the iPhone
Let me just say it: We want native third party applications on the
iPhone, and we plan to have an SDK in developers' hands in February. We
are excited about creating a vibrant third party developer community
around the iPhone and enabling hundreds of new applications for our
users. With our revolutionary multi-touch interface, powerful hardware
and advanced software architecture, we believe we have created the best
mobile platform ever for developers.
It will take until February to release an SDK because we're trying to
do two diametrically opposed things at once—provide an advanced and
open platform to developers while at the same time protect iPhone users
from viruses, malware, privacy attacks, etc. This is no easy task. Some
claim that viruses and malware are not a problem on mobile phones—this
is simply not true. There have been serious viruses on other mobile
phones already, including some that silently spread from phone to phone
over the cell network. As our phones become more powerful, these
malicious programs will become more dangerous. And since the iPhone is
the most advanced phone ever, it will be a highly visible target.
Some companies are already taking action. Nokia, for example, is not
allowing any applications to be loaded onto some of their newest phones
unless they have a digital signature that can be traced back to a known
developer. While this makes such a phone less than "totally open," we
believe it is a step in the right direction. We are working on an
advanced system which will offer developers broad access to natively
program the iPhone's amazing software platform while at the same time
protecting users from malicious programs.
We think a few months of patience now will be rewarded by many years of
great third party applications running on safe and reliable iPhones.
Steve
P.S.: The SDK will also allow developers to create applications for
iPod touch. [Oct 17, 2007]
Snip Snap Snude..