Apple today released their much anticipated iPhone software developers kit (SDK) in a beta format at their headquarters in Cuptertino.
The SDK will allow 3rd party developers create native applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
Apple also announced that they have licensed Microsoft ActiveSync and that the iPhone will work with Microsoft Exchange servers when they release firmware update 2.0. This means that iPhone will now work with full security and functionality with the overwhelming majority of enterprise mail servers. It also means that, unlike RIM’s Blackberry devises, the iPhone will be able to communicate directly with the Exchange server. This will ensure that the iPhone will not be prone to the outages that have plagued Blackberry users, who must get their mail through intermediary technologies.
The SDK had been seeded to select developers before today’s announcement, and a number of developers had the opportunity to show off their wares. AOL showed off a native version of their popular Instant Messanger software, while Apple developed a game called Touch Fighter that utilizes the touchscreen to fire laser beams from a spaceship and the accelerometer to steer the spaceship. Electronic Arts showed off a game called Spore, and Salesforce.com showed off an iPhone enabled sales application.
Apple will create a new portal for getting these applications into iPhones, called App Store. Much like the iTunes WiFi store, the App Store will be accessible over a cell or wifi connection and applications will be able to download directly to the device.
The firmware update 2.0 is not expected until late June, and you know, I’m totally freaking out already.
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This is huge. Within four months, the iPhone will unquestionably exceed the Blackberry as an enterprise communication device (and we all know enterprise is where the money is). It will soon feature the most robust application development community for a mobile platform ever. And here’s where the marketing genius comes in: developers will have four months to put together great apps. Consumers will have four months to drool over the upcoming offerings. And competitors will have four months to commiserate over how screwed they are.
Mobile advertising will finally have the opportunity to take off. I expect the upcoming developments to blow the doors open on mobile offerings on all platforms. Competition will finally come to this market. Hold on kiddies, it’s gonna be a wild ride.
