UPDATE: Webcast of Apple's special event is available here [1].
During a special event which took place at Cupertino, CA, Apple unveiled its Software Development Kit (SDK) for iPhone and iPod touch developers. It also announced several Enterprise features.
"Etat des lieux"
The keynote presentation was delivered by Apple's CEO, Steve Jobs, Marketing VP, Phil Schiller and Software division's Scott Forstall.
Apple's CEO, Steve Jobs started off by announcing that Apple had 28% of the U.S. market share in smart phones and 71% of the U.S. mobile browser market at the end of last year.
In the smart phone market, Apple is number two, just behind RIM which has 42% of the market but far ahead of other competitors.
Later in the event, Scott Forstall, told the audience that more than 1000 web applications were developed for the iPhone and highlighted a few of them such as FaceBook or Banc of America.
Enterprise features
Apple has received a lot of feedback from enterprise customers, Jobs said Phil Schiller the presentation. Among the features requested were:
- 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
All of these features as well as Microsoft Exchange support with ActiveSync will be added to the next iPhone software update.
The iPhone SDK
The iPhone SDK will allow developers to bring their applications to the iPhone and the iPod touch through a large number of Mac OS X APIs Apple is opening. Most of these APIs such as CoreOS, CoreServices, CoreAnimation, OpenGL EL OpenAL and CoreAudio among others, are specifically optimized for performance and the lowest possible battery usage on the iPhone.
Mac OS X Cocoa layer being very linked to the input interfaces used on desktop applications, such as Keyboards and mice, Apple provides a specific layer called Cocoa Touch which is adapted for the iPhone's multi-point touch screen.
Developers will use an extended version of XCode to write their applications, as well as special Interface Builder release and a performance analysis tool. Also part of the SDK is Simulator which allows developers to run and test their iPhone applications right on the Mac.
The new version of XCode as well as a beta of the iPhone's software update supporting applications written with Apple's SDK is available within an hour after the special event.
First applications
A few developers had the chance to play with the iphone SDK for a few weeks and have already brought some interesting pieces of software.
Game developers, Electronic Arts and Sega, have respectively brought Spore and Monkey ball, SalesForce.com has brought a native client for their online CRM service, AOL brought its instant messenging client and Epocrates brought their drugs database tool. All five developers spend no more than two weeks with Apple's SDK.
Distribution model
Developers will be able to distribute their applications exclusively on Apple's AppStore, a special program that will be built in the next iPhone software release or through iTunes. AppStore will let customers download and update their software wirelessly using EDGE and Wifi connectivity.
Apple will retain 30% of the revenue generated by commercial applications but won't charge freeware developers at all. Developers who make commercial applications will be able to pick the price they wish for their software.
Some restrictions apply to the program, Apple will not allow illegaln malicious porn related applications or applcitions that use too much bandwidth. More specifically Apple will not let developers distribute SIM-unlocking applications or use the EDGE network for a VoIP application.
Customers will be able to update their iPhone to software version 2.0 for free while iPod touch users will be charged a nominal fee due to accounting rules.
Editor's note:
Apple's Enterprise and SDK announcements were impressive though expected, just take a look at our report [2] posted yesterday, almost everything is in! :p.