Open the iPhone (and iPod Touch too!)

So what's all this about, you ask?  Well, simple - it's a plea to Apple, Inc. to produce open API's for the iPhone and iPod Touch.  But, for non techies, what does that mean?

Right now, Apple produces no tools or information for developers to active develop new applications for the iPhone.  Yes, you can write webpages that are designed for the iPhone, and Apple has referred to them as Applications from time to time.  And technically they are.  But they are slower than native applications that are written to run directly on the iPhone and have quite a few limitations.   

There are 3rd party applications that run on the iPhone right now.  Problem is, every time Apple does an update, it runs the risk of breaking all of those applicaitons.  And as it is, it's no simple thing to load applicaitons on the iPhone if you aren't a die-hard techie.  (Heck, I am a die hard technie, and iFuntastic totally gave me fits one day, and I had to restore my phone to factory defaults at least 6 times until I found the problem!)

Apple had created an amazing, unique computing platform.  Yes, it contains an iPod in it - I could care less personally :-)  What I use it for is a phone, contact manager, callender system, web browser, remote customer support tool, organizer, and a ton of other little functions I've found.  Throw in some of the new 3rd party tools like VNsea and the value of the iPhone as a support tool quickly increases for me.  And fun things like Tap Tap Revolution and Gril-M (A Point of Sale system for resteraunts built on the iPhone!) and Mobile Money prove it's worth way beyond anything Apple had originally planned!

There's also a bit of a fair play issue at work here too.   I BOUGHT the iPhone.  I didn't rent it.  I didn't lease it.  It's like a car - if I buy it, I want to be able to climb under the hood, add a hypertek chip, have new tires put on it, etc. without permission of the person I bought it from.  In fact, I don't want them issuing updates that break the changes I have made to the car!  While not a perfect analogy, that's what's going on with the iPhone - and I for one am tired of companies selling me computer hardware that the hood is not only locked, they change the keys to get under the hood at will! 

So, if you look to the left, you'll see the Petition - fill it out, and send Apple a message.  Will it make a difference?  Who knows.  I'm hopefull that Apple will see the error of thier ways, and open this unique computing environment to 3rd party developers to produce amazing and innovative products using it.

Also there's a little 'extra' in the Petition - what apps (if any) are you using on the iPhone, and what apps would you want to see for the iPhone (and yes, the iPod Touch too - I'm just personally more interested in the iPhone since I own one ;-)  I'll be slowly gathering up this information, and posting it on here - the best reasons that people give for opening the iPhone, the most suggested applications for the iPhone, and stats about who's been signing it (IE, do they own one, are they planning on owning one, how many people have already moded thier iPhone, and whatever else I come up with :-)

But you can also read more for information on the pros and cons of opening up the iPhone to 3rd party developers.  Sure, I'm FOR opening it up, but there are some valid reasons (both from Apple and customers perspective) to not open it up!  Read on, and decide for yourself - it Apple right or wrong to leave it a closed system.