Anticipation is growing for developers awaiting Apple’s software development kit for the iPhone and iPod touch, a new report suggests. The SDK, promised to be released sometime in February by Apple CEO Steve Jobs, will allow third-party developers to develop native applications for the touch screen devices. In the meantime, many developers are left wondering how Apple will handle the implementation, installation, and distribution of the applications.
“We definitely want the SDK,” says Christopher Allen, who runs online developer community iPhoneWebDev. “But the real questions are, ‘How is it going to integrate with iTunes? Are we going to be able to get paid? If so, how much?’ “
Some developers believe that Apple might choose to take control of what applications make it on to its devices, and also secure itself a percentage of application revenue, by distributing third-party applications through iTunes. Cabel Sasser, co-founder of the independent Mac software firm Panic, believes this distribution method will help developers.
Calling iTunes “the holy grail of distribution,” Sasser says, “It could open us up to an entirely new market and really change our business. Not everyone can locate, download and install software from the Internet.” However, this distribution model might also pose problems for developers who choose to offer their software for free. “Our philosophy is not to charge users,” says Jonathan Zweig of Jirbo, whose web-based games for the iPhone and iPod touch are amongst the most popular iPhone applications listed on Apple’s web site.