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Open the iPhone (and iPod Touch too!)(Quick update - due to a "blonde moment", the petiion was initally posted with the entire form intact... but no petition text! Now fixed :-) 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.
I'll start with the downside of opening the iPhone, from the customer perspective: It's a Cell Phone first, everything else second. That means, if you have an unstable application, it could interfere with the primary job of the iPhone - to communicate with other people. I've had that happen already when I was trying to unshakle an iPhone with iFuntastic. It wasn't iFuntastic's fault - I was using the wrong version of the software for the version of iTunes that was loaded. But I wasn't able to use my phone for about an hour while I was troubleshooting the problem
But what about the downsides from Apple Inc's perspective?Problems with music publishers over things like Ring Tones. Right now the RIAA (The sue-happy lawyers who represent the rights of the music publishers. Right or wrong, they hold quite a bit of power at the moment) doesn't want anyone to do anything with thier music unless it's been paid for. Doesn't matter if you've paid for it once (IE, bought the CD), they want you to pay for it again in the form of ring tones. Apple provides ringtones for sale - whcih means they have to walk a tightrope between profits, end user rights, and the RIAA's power. An open iPhone programming API would make that a much harder situation for Apple! Percieved Stability. Just like the problem of an unstable iPhone for customers, Apple has to keep a perception of having a rock-solid, elegant, highly functional cell phone that syncs with iTunes. That's what they sell. Unstable applications could tarnish that perception quickly, which hurts sales!Lost Profits. Right now, Apple could setup to sell applications for the iPhone through the iTunes store. With no way for other developers to add functionality to the iPhone, Apple is shooting fish in a barrel with it comes to software sales. Anything new for the iPhone will sell like crazy - so why would they want to change that?
But now for the upsides for customers...Continued support. If Apple were to abandon the iPhone today (with a million sold in a pretty damn short time, it's unlikely - but it could happen) customers are garanteed to continue to see the platform they have come to depend on be useful no matter which way the wind blows. Innovative Applications. The iPhone is an innovative platform, and already some of the applications that have surfaced are pretty impressive, and use the iPhone's ability in cool ways. With an API to work with, that's only going to get better!
And for Apple? Higher Sales. While they aren't the only seller fo cell phones or even of smart phones, they have one of the most unique. But a lot of techies aren't too sure about it after some comments by Apple about the lack of API. Opening it up clenches it - the ability to do exactly what you want with your computing hardware has always been a big deal for techies. More Applications. Let's face it, with all the developers already playing with writing software for the iPhone even before there's an offical API to work with. And the more applicaitons that exist, the more reasons that exist for people to buy an iPhone.Perception. Right now, Apple has a pretty good brand perception among poeple, but there's always room for improvement :-)
I'm sure people will come up with even more interesting points (pro and con) to add to my list - sure, if you've got one just hit the contact page and send it to me. If it's good (good does not mean FOR opening, just that it's well thought out pro or con), I'll add it to the list and make sure to credit ya :-)As for the petition - head on over and fill it out. I'll also be adding a second form in the near future about iPhone applications, mainly just to provide more things to think about for iPhone / iPod Touch developers who are braving the wilds of an undocumented API and ever changing system of securing the iPhone on Apple's part! Davis Ray Sickmon, Jr
Oddly enough, just as I was about to release this site, Erica Sadun (who's done A LOT for the iPhone 3rd party development) posted on The Unoffical Apple Weblog about emailing Apple with your opijnion :-) Personally, I think that's a great idea too - but don't let that prevent you from filling out the Petition anyway ;-) |
