“Everybody knows that Apple Inc.’s iPhone is more than just a wireless telephone. But how much more? That depends on software developers who are building programs that add new features to the iPhone. It also depends on Apple, which has tightly limited developers’ access to the iPhone’s core operating system,” Hiawatha Bray reports for The Boston Globe. “‘They have the one phone in the world that runs a modern operating system… and they won’t open it up to developers,’ complained Ken Aspeslagh, chief engineer at Ecamm Network LLC, a Somerville company that develops software for Apple’s Macintosh computers.”
“Apple says the limitations protect iPhone users from rogue programs that could steal data or disrupt their phone service. ‘Obviously, there’s an important security aspect to this,'” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s senior director of iPhone worldwide product marketing,” Bray reports. “Programmers have scrambled to create applets for the iPhone. Over 100 are available, mostly free of charge, at websites like applists.com or getleaflets.com, with new applets released every day,.”
“But software designers agree that they’ll never exploit all the iPhone’s power until they can write code directly for the operating system, as they can with other smartphones,” Bray reports.
“As the early buzz wears off, Apple might encourage the development of more sophisticated iPhone software, to compete against its less elegant but more useful rivals. Apple’s Borchers kept the door open. ‘We always have the ability to update the iPhone over time, with new software, et cetera,’ he said. ‘What we wanted to do is make sure we walked before we ran,'” Bray reports. “And some programmers believe Apple will relent and allow more powerful iPhone programs. ‘It has the capability to do so much more,’ said Aspeslagh. ‘I think Apple will allow it in time.'”
More in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “NavyTim” for the heads up.]
i imagine it will be handpicked devs (at 1st at least) like ipod games, and sold in the same way.
Pat croche
All one has to do is look at the Microsoft operating system, a system very much open to developers, and all of its spyware, virus, malware and bot problems. Apple is wise to do things slowly and control who gets in and who does not.
Be advised.
1: Turn off Safari “Open Safe Files”
2: Set permisssions of Terminal app to “No Access” completely.
3: Don’t doubleclick on any unknown files/folders/downloads unless you know who, what and where it came from.
Your Mac is extrememely vunerable at this time and has been for several months since this exploit has been demonstrated. Apple for some reason has not fixed it completely, perhaps in error, perhaps on purpose.
more details, google for:
mac_os_x_command_execution_vulnerability_test
I will make no further posts on this subject.
Delete this post and reap the whirlwind.
The Web 2.0 stuff actually seems to working fairly well so far. I’m sure Apple will open things up for a few select developers over time, but there isn’t really any need to rush into that.
We certainly don’t need a Palm Treo type situation going on where one buggy 3rd party app keeps crashing the entire phone.
What is a Marty?
Sorry MDN that sounded a bit rough, sorry.
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I’m just concerned Apple hasn’t addressed this security issue and millions of Mac users are vunerable.
Here’s your Whirlwind, enjoy your inheritance.
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It is ironic to simultaneously have the most capable and least finctional smartphone on the market.
Wait a second… wasn’t Steve Jobs bragging that the Apple iPhone runs OSX – the most “safe and secure operating system in the world?” If that was indeed the case, why wouldn’t Apple allow developers to write apps for the iPhone the same way it does for its desktop operating system?
The fact of the matter is that iPhone users would hugely benefit from iPhone versions of productivity software such as Quicken, Filemaker, PDF/eBook readers, voice memo recorders, mobile Office apps, etc… all the stuff missing from what comes by default on the iPhone.
@ Marty: Nice boat!
Apple won’t allow people to write apps for the iPhone, because that would allow applications like Skype to be ported to the phone which would kill their over-priced monopoly on voice minutes as people exploited VOIP on the free data minutes… It would also open the phone to 3rd party music and video services. At best, Apple will start “licensing” applications, like on game consoles, to maintain their monopoly & control.
Apple is not finished putting all of the Apple features on the iPhone. Until that is done it makes absolutely no sense putting out a SDK and having developers duplicate Apple’s planned but not finished features.
Use your f**king head.
Urgh … it didn’t stop them releasing developer support for Mac OS 10.0 …
Next they will be saying that it is unreasonable of Apple to be the only one to have access to the most modern OS …why can’t Dell and HP have it too?*@$?!
Hey, Macaday, you’re comparing apples and oranges here (no pun intended). We’re talking about third party developers not having access to create applications on a mobile operating system, not putting an entire OS on a different manufacturer’s hardware. Do you get the difference, little buddy?
When the exclusive contract with AT&T is over & more companies accept Apple’s terms. The iphone will be open to developers who will then have the brief to write applications that will differentiate the service provided to the iphone by the provider, thus making choosing a provider more complicated by what bespoke extra service they have to offer.
How safe that extra service will be on the iphone will be directly attributable to the service provider rather than Apple who will have had two years of a stable environment with AT&T.
Hasn’t anyone thought that the reason why there’s no “real” iPhone SDK is because the Leopard SDK isn’t finished yet? And like typical Apple, such an announcement would not be made in advance.
Apple supplies Filemaker, PDF/eBook readers, voice memo recorders, mobile Office apps, etc… a**hole. These would all be features of an iPhone, idiot.
Quicken can wait.
Anything else you need?
Sorry for not posting sooner but I don’t get paid to post on blogs like you do.
Hey, to the above poster responding to my post… sorry, you didn’t leave your name, I’ll just call you Senior Douchebag, okay? I think it has a nice ring to it, don’t you?
Why don’t you pull Steve Job’s dick out of your mouth for one minute and show me the news release/official announcement/Fanboy keynote where Apple has announced their intentions to develop any of these features for your beloved iPhone anytime in the near future.
Found it yet? No? Then why not let third party developers come up with some of these apps so that iPhone users can actually use their overpriced little toy for something more than calling their mommies to send them a check so they can buy the latest piece of Apple iCrap.
And please don’t tell me that the Safari web apps are even remotely practical for any serious application. That’s a load of horsesh*t only your typical MDN reader could swallow. But you know plenty about swallowing now, don’t you?
Apple supplies Filemaker, PDF/eBook readers, voice memo recorders, mobile Office apps, etc… a**hole. These would all be features of an iPhone, idiot.
Oh yes Mr. Fanboy. The whole world is going to throw out the standard software they have been using for years and starting using Apple Developed Software for everything… Wooo Hooo Steve!!!!!!
Who need 3rd party Apps. Everyone is going to use Apple hardware and software for everything because Steve said so.. Woooo I bet Ballmer is “scared” and throwing chairs…
You fanboys have no concept of reality. You Sir, are either an idiot or a child. learn or Grow up..l
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