mbd

I would bet there will be someone who figures out how to run unsigned apps on the iPhone, thus avoiding the $99 cost.

titaniumdecoy

Unfortunately, Apple has written some nasty legal documents regarding how the iPhone SDK can be used. Competing browsers such as Firefox are not allowed. VoIP applications are not allowed. Using or calling any unpublished or private APIs is not allowed. Also, Sun announced plans to write a JVM for iPhone but backpedaled because of legal issues.

Hopefully FCC/EU regulators will force Apple to withdraw at least some of these restrictions.

mbd

these are exactly the reasons i suspect that someone will hack the iphone to run unsigned code. it has been done to almost every other platform out there, just look at the other closed platforms: xbox360, iPod, wii... those have all been hacked to run unsigned code.

Ghost

Just one more reason I will not buy from Apple and support them.

Dameon

Support Android. Write and run whatever the hell you want.

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Grich

iPhone SDK, apples answer to the JAVA SDK and Microsoft Visual Studio.
Another SDK for programmers to post criticism articles on wikipedia.

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Ghost

Android looks amazing, I cant wait to get my hands on one of those phones.

Grich

Well, I think there might be a problem with that philosophy.
First off, it lets you use JAVA only. Which is okay, but it isn't JAVA at the same time.
It is there own version of JAVA, so you would not be able to run a proper JAVA program (I'm talking about multi platform).
And isn't there a bit of a problem with the fact that you cannot access lower level features.
So, I think it is the same as IPhone, it is limited.

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titaniumdecoy

@mbd: iPhone has already been hacked to run unsigned code; it's called "jailbreaking." You can run unsigned third party apps, but Apple occasionally releases updates which brick or erase the data on such phones. However, I am certain that you will not be able to run signed apps on a jailbroken iPhone as that would defeat the purpose of the App Store.

@Grich: Google wrote their own Java VM to avoid having to pay licensing fees to Sun; it runs the same Java code as Sun's VM (for the most part).

Game_Ender

Framework Restrictions: Its pretty simple, you can't install programs on the iPhone that run code, or load modules of code which are downloaded separately. So you could make a version of firefox for the iPhone, but it wouldn't be able to run Javascript or Flash. You can also write apps for the iPhone in java, but you would have to include the JVM with your App.

VOIP: You *can* make a VOIP app for the iPhone, it just has to use WiFi. This is due to AT&T's terms of service which explicitly prohibit running VOIP type apps over EDGE. Also EDGE does not provide enough bandwidth or low enough latency to run VOIP applications, so its really a moot point.

30%: From everything I have read similar stores from other manufacture take up to 50 or 70%. Also if you go through a standard retain channel you will see a lot more than 30% taken from you.

The only thing I have a problem with is the first point, I really hope Apple finds a way to add more languages/platforms on the iPhone.

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