Apple Mac HQ

Why waste your time reading 5 or more blog posts or one really long post when you can read one that gets right to the point? Here’s a blow by blow recap on what went on today at the iPhone SDK/Enterprise press event. My notes are between the ().

Stats

• iPhone took 28% market share in Q4 2007 for smartphones
• Mobile Safari: 71% of US mobile browser usage

Enterprise

• The following will be available for enterprise customers:
  • Push email
  • Push calendar
  • Push contacts
  • Global address list
  • Cisco IPsec VPN
  • Certificates and Identities
  • WPA2/802.1x
  • Enforced security policies
  • Device configuration
  • Remote wipe

• Apple has licensed ActiveSync from Microsoft to play nice with Exchange

SDK

• Using the same SDK that Apple uses
• Cocoa Touch - application framework for interacting with the accelerometer and touches/swipes
• With Core Location you can create location-aware applications
• Xcode will be used to develop iPhone apps
• Xcode will feature remote debugging from your iPhone running the app live
• Interface Builder will help you build your application interface
• iPhone Simulator will simulate the entire API stack on your computer.
• SDK available now for free
• $99 to join the iPhone developers program. This gets you a digital certificate for your applications so you can distribute them

Demo Time

• Demos by Apple, EA, Salesforce.com, AOL (yes, IM on the iPhone), Epocrates (no clue what they do), and Sega
• From Sega: “if anything, we underestimated what the iPhone was able to do from the start, we had to fly in another artist to scale up the art to match what the iPhone could actually output.”

App Store

• App Store, is a new application for iPhone/iPod touch that will be the distribution point for applications
• Find applications via featured, just added, staff favorites, browse by categories, and search
• Applications can be downloaded via Edge or Wifi
• Application can be “sideloaded” from iTunes as well
• Sparkle like update for iPhone apps
• Revenue from App Store sales: 70% Developers, 30% Apple (similar to Music sales)
• No CC fees, hosting fees, or marketing fees
• Developer has full pricing felxibility
• Developer payments are made monthly
• No charge for free applications
• Some “limiations” on what is available from the App Store; e.g. Unlocking, illegal, adult, etc

iPhone 2.0 Software Update

• SDK and enterprise functionality included
• Beta release today
• Full release sometime in June
• 2.0 is free for iPhone users and a small charge for iPod touch users

iFund

• A $100M VC fund from KPCB “for the iPhone platform”

Q&A

• Each application will have a digital certificate to identify who wrote the application
• VOIP apps are possible, but only over Wifi (sounds reasonable to me)
• Mums the word on the iPod touch software update price
• Special application for dealing with internal enterprise applications; still being worked on
• Parental controls added to iPhone 2.0 software

[Information via Engadget]

Popularity: 39% [?]

Indeed it has been a busy Tuesday in the world of Apple.  In addition to new Macbook and Macbook Pros, Apple has released iPhone/iPod touch software update 1.1.4.  The reports are starting to come in, and so far there isn’t much news to report.  According to most everyone, there doesn’t seem to be any actual features added.  What does Apple say?  “This version of the software includes bug fixes and supersedes all previous versions.”

The most likely scenario is this update puts the finishing touches on the road to the iPhone SDK wonderland.  That same SDK that is suppose to ship this week, but some are repoting that it will be late.  Apple has three more days to hit their February release date for the SDK.  I just checked the ADC and there is currently no trace of the iPhone SDK.

Popularity: 50% [?]

According to a recent BusinessWeek article, “sources familiar with the company’s plans” says that Apple will release an iPhone SDK in 2008. The article sites Macworld as the logical release date for the SDK. The article goes into a little detail about currently getting applications to run on the iPhone and the “cat and mouse” game between Apple and hackers. The SDK has long been rumored to be in existence to the iPhone development team inside Apple. After all, the applications currently on the iPhone didn’t just appear in Cupertino, CA one day.

[Via MBW]

Update: It’s been confirmed by Apple that the SDK will be released in February.

Popularity: 7% [?]