iPhone news
The Apple iPhone event on the 6th has announced a number of new and interesting features. The next version of the firmware (2.0) will allow connection to Microsoft Enterprise Servers with direct ActiveSync support. This should help sales to corporates. Personally, this isn’t that interesting as there’s only me at work at the moment and so I don’t really need to sync with anyone but my Wife and I can do that by just talking to her. 
What is of interest is the new SDK allowing applications to be written for the iPhone, which run natively and not as Web 2.0 online apps. This should open up the iPhone for 3rd party applications and games, etc. It’s a major step forward for the device. You will need a Mac to run the tools on though as it uses an extension of XCode. There’s even a simulator for the iPhone to allow easy testing.
Releasing the applications into the world is via ‘App Store’ which runs on the iPhone itself or via iTunes on your Mac or PC. The ‘App Store’ will even flags updates to programmes automatically. Developers can choose prices, don’t have to pay credit card fees or hosting and get 70% of the income. If the app is free, there are no costs. There is a price for joining though, $99 for normal apps and $299 for Enterprise. This allows you to test the app on a physical iPhone or iPod Touch instead of in the simulator.
Still, this SDK removes one of the blocks toward me buying one of these devices. I wanted to be able to write my own small applications for photo tools, information logging, etc. There are a still couple of problems with the device from my point of view - no decent camera or Orange UK connection. GPS and something like Nokia Maps (ie no continuous online link needed) would be great too. Hopefully, these will come with the next iPhone - which wasn’t announced at the event despite many rumours saying it might. It goes to show these rumour websites don’t know everything…
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