Steve Jobs Announces iPhone SDK

An anonymous reader writes "It finally happened. Steve Jobs announced an iPhone SDK today. The plan is to release it in February, and the suggestion is that apps will need to be digitally signed (not unlike digital signing in Leopard). Here's hoping that developing for the iPhone/Touch will be cheap (or free) enough to allow the folks who have been writing apps to continue doing so. Says Jobs: '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.'"

Re:Finally!

[Tetsujin]

Can anyone say "long overdue?"

You just did.

SSH and a keyboard.

[neo]

The only thing i want to add to the I phone is SSH and an external keyboard. Then it would be pretty much the ultimate laptop... if you had a really tiny lap. But it would then serve all my mobile computing needs.

Re:Ipod touch

[jiushao]

Yes, it would sure have been nice if the article could at least had a small P.S. to note if the iPod Touch was covered or not.

How useful

[JeremyGNJ]

Nice!

Now the iPhone will have 30 different ways to check stock prices, get weather updates and read RSS feeds!

Hopefully someone makes a Diet Calculator / Calorine counter as well!

Re:Hear hear!

[russotto]

Apple really has no reason to be a jerk about it except spite. Unfortunately, Steve has proven that he's occasionally prone to that.

+1, Understated!

Re:SSH and a keyboard.

[gEvil (beta)]

Or perhaps a regular size lap and a Beowulf cluster of iPhones...

Now that would be an awesome utility belt...

Re:February is kind of a long time, isn't it?

[nojomofo]

it'll probably require payment of a large fee to AT&T, AND require approval of your specific app by AT&T itself.

Do you really think that Steve Jobs would allow AT&T to do that? No way AT&T has any control over what gets installed on an Apple device.

Re:Finally!

[HAKdragon]

Gamers are a much, much larger market than geeks and Apple has never made the Mac a game-friendly or game developer-friendly platform. They don't give a crap about geeks or gamers.

Man, I am getting tired of the anti-Pippen bias around here!


For the humor challenged, yes, that was a joke.

Re:Digital signing

[Scudsucker]

Of course, I'm sure that some Mac fan is going to point out how this is another Apple innovation.

I don't know, you've set quite a high bar of snobbery for that person to top.

It IS an Apple innovation!

[Mahjub Sa'aden]

The Steve, 6000 years ago, created signed apps with the rest of the iWorld. However, as he is a vengeful God, he gave this innovation to Microsoft, for the greater glory of Apple, may it live forever.

Say it... SAY IT!

[Tetsujin]

Nah - he typed it.
I wanna hear him 'say' it.

I'm blind and listen to Slashdot comments through a voice synthesizer, you unrefined fellow who is not responsive to my personal feelings!

Re:Finally!

[hmccabe]

Wait, gamers aren't geeks?