Dave Horvath
18 Oct 2007 12:57
It seems like Apple may be showing its belly in submission to the cat and mouse type games its been playing with hackers over the third-party application development for the iPhone. Since its release, Apple has attempted to Block any Homebrew applications on its device by regularly sending updates set to cut off access to its core. They had even gone as far as to release an update that stated if the phone was found with any homebrew applications on it, the user would permanently "brick" their iPhone by grabbing the latest update. This of course infuriated iPhone users and led to several lawsuits.
Now, Apple has seen the light and is welcoming third-party application developers to produce working applications that will make the iPhone a better device to own. They stated that in February, they will release the Software Developers Kit (SDK) to the masses and allow them to code applications for the device. The company has stressed however that although they will unlock the device to allow other applications, they are not changing their policies against unlocking the iPhone for use with other carriers besides AT&T.
Chief executive of Mexens Technologies, Cyril Houri who developed a navigation system for the iPhone called Navizon stated that Apple realized that "it’s time to stop this silly race to lock the iPhone because it’s a lost battle."
In a letter, Steve Jobs stated that although he feels within a few years, this move will prove to give the iPhone a wide range of beneficial programs, he's urging people not to discount the fact that mobile phones are not immune to viruses and other forms of malware.
Source:
NY Times