News
Apple: Updates will ‘most likely break’ native iPhone apps
By Charles Starrett
Senior Editor, iLounge
Published: Wednesday, September 12, 2007
News Category: iPhone
Yesterday Apple Vice President for iPod Product Marketing Greg Joswiak said that Apple is taking a “neutral stance” on third-party native application development for the iPhone. Apple has now backtracked somewhat on that statement, saying “software updates will most likely break” native applications in the future. Third-party native application development for the iPhone has been a hot topic since the device’s introduction in January; Apple announced that the iPhone would use third-party web-based applications at its WWDC conference in June. Developer reaction to that announcement was decidedly mixed, and in the months following the iPhone’s release, a dedicated group of developers have produced a myriad of native applications, from IM clients to game emulators, for the device.
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1
These two statements are not mutually exclusive. Apple said they weren’t going to go after these apps in spite, but that they weren’t going to code around them, either. Which is pretty much the situation we have today—and as a result, every iPhone update breaks the third party apps (and usually results in a re-build)
Posted by dasmb on September 12, 2007 at 8:35 AM (PDT)
2
The mixed reactions to the idea of web-based applications has had to have taken a dive toward the dissatisfied end with the advent of the iPod touch which doesn’t have access to the internet “all the time”. As such, web-based applications for it are of quite limited value. Of course such web-based apps are limited on the iPhone too since it doesn’t always have Edge access and when it doesn’t, you’re out of luck. The iPhone and especially the iPod touch need native 3rd party applications. Hopefully Apple will come round on the idea and actively support 3rd party development.
Posted by sjonke in Maryland, US on September 12, 2007 at 10:33 AM (PDT)