Apple's iPhone SDK: This is Brand New Big Sh*t, But

Jason Fried ended his enthusiastic post on the iPhone SDK with those words (I added the ",But"). And so it is. Very big shit. But there are a few things that I just don't understand about Apple's iPhone strategy.

Why put all these great hooks in for enterprise IT when the iPhone still only operates on one network here in the US? Do you think Morgan Stanley is going to get locked in to AT&T just to outfit all of their investment bankers with iPhones? I don't think so.

And where are the social hooks? Can you establish social networks and build a social graph via the iPhone SDK? If not, why? If so, where is that outlined? I read over a dozen posts on the iPhone SDK and I didn't see the world social in any of them. The phone is the most personal (and therefore social) device in the world. There's got to be social hooks in something like this.

And what's with "all apps must be sold and distributed via the app store"? I understand that it's most convenient for users to have a single place (like iTunes) where they can search for, find, buy, and install apps. But to lock developers into that as the single and only way to get apps on the iPhone is not the right thinking in my book.

On the plus side, the gaming opportunities are mind blowing. As Daring Fireball says in his post (the best of the ones I read):

The unique control options — no traditional buttons but a 3D accelerometer and multi-touch screen — make the iPhone analogous to the Wii, in that it opens up new concepts in game UI design.

Apple is revolutionizing the mobile device market in the same way they flipped the music business on it's head. But like they did in the music market, they aren't going all the way. And I just wish they would.

Disclosure: I am long APPL and getting longer.

Comments

[awcabot:]

"And where are the social hooks? Can you establish social networks and build a social graph via the iPhone SDK? If not, why? If so, where is that outlined? I read over a dozen posts on the iPhone SDK and I didn't see the world social in any of them. The phone is the most personal (and therefore social) device in the world. There's got to be social hooks in something like this."

Facebook, myspace and other social networking sites are applications (developed with an SDK of some sorts) that are running on a server. If you want to build a social network and build graphs on your iPhone, wait till someone develops that application or better yet, do it yourself.

Be more concerned with the costs and revenues of the App store, developer reaction to the SDK, and competitors comments. Don't worry to much about building social networks on your iPhone: I prefer friends.

2008 Mar 07 06:33 AM

[China Hand:]

I do business in Asia , have a MacBook . Need to synch with my PDA or Smartphone. Can't do it with the MacBook and a HTC Touch or Nokia or Motorola or whatever. So bought the iPhone, and yes its a 'cracked' version, so I feel slightly criminal, but I've sold my problem. After all, I am a customer, and I think a typical one for this part of the world. So get wih it Apple. And while you are at it, HK or Taipei or Beijing or Shanghai could use an Apple Store. the distributors out here only sell hardware and can't ask the simplest of questions about the product.... to them Apple = iPod.

2008 Mar 07 07:07 AM

[digivision:]

forcing the developers to use itunes to distribute the software does one important thing to me , forces the developers to register themselves and be responsible for what they write . this is the easiest way to keep a tight control over what is written . Jobs does not want Apple to be the next Microsoft in terms of viruses and trojans

2008 Mar 07 07:29 AM

[digivision:]

but no porn ???

2008 Mar 07 07:32 AM

[Oh Blah Dee...:]

RE: "Do you think Morgan Stanley is going to get locked in to AT&T just to outfit all of their investment bankers with iPhones? I don't think so."

I still use Verizon landlines at home and office, however, AT&T is now my mobile network.. In some areas its mobile network is BETTER than Verizon's. I should know, I was with Verizon mobile for five years, until one month ago. And, AT&T is better as a GLOBAL network. THAT Morgan Stanley WOULD like.

Oh, for your information, Morgan Stanley in Europe would sign with O2 in U.K., Orange in France, T-Mobile in Germany etc. In other words, Morgan Stanley would sign with MANY carriers around the world, but with single carrier within each country.

Think of it this way: If Morgan Stanley was buying corporate vehicles for its U.S. executives, should it buy a few vehicles from each of the many auto dealers in the U.S.? That would be an administrative and maintenance nightmare.

2008 Mar 07 07:51 AM

[DutchMark:]

I was all set to go ahead and move my game to the iPhone / iPod Touch. But what I was afraid of came true, can only sell through Apple. But my game is only for the Asian market and alas, no iTunes store for China, Japan or Korea yet.

So Apple can stuff it.

2008 Mar 07 08:11 AM

[Thoughtful:]

Surely the Wharton School and MIT taught you to use words longer than one syllable to express your very learned opinion--please get some real friend and a virtual dictionary/thesaurus.

2008 Mar 07 10:27 AM

[Jeremy Elliott:]

Barbarian's comments are on the mark. Developers were highly concerned that the SDK would be very limited in allowing outsiders access to the OS's core systems. The only way to grant total access (well, near total--I imagine) and not open up the platform for abuse was to control distribution. I think Jobs has finally learned from Gates's strongest suite--leveraging the intellectual power of outside partners.

2008 Mar 07 11:00 AM

[REB:]

DutchMark is mistaken. The iPhone software distribution website is not the iTunes store. It is a separate website which should be international from the start. The iTunes content providers have separate legal markets which required separate contracts with Apple for each country. iPhone software doesn't have such legal issues to my knowledge.

2008 Mar 07 11:12 AM

[peter02l:]

"Why put all these great hooks in for enterprise IT when the iPhone still only operates on one network here in the US?"

Don't you think AT&T users might be interested? Is this your 5th grade class where you had to have enough for everyone before you were allowed to enjoy your lollipop? We don't want to upset little Morgan Stanley, do we?

And what the hell is a social graph? If you want to talk to somebody, use the phone!

2008 Mar 07 03:58 PM

[Jahangir Naina:]

Yes, of course. Any CIO seriously looking at the iPhone for his next mobile platform investment is going immediately dismiss it because it doesn't have deep integration hooks into Facebook and Myspace, so that his staff can "leverage the immense potential of the social graph" by updating their profiles with cute haikus and uploading their latest LOLcat pix.

2008 Mar 07 11:00 PM

[brewer:]

Geez, no matter what Apple does, some moron is complaining that there is still something else it can't do. Never mind that this isn't a feature on any phone. They could cure cancer and someone would be whining that it doesn't print money.

Social graphs? Yeah, I'm really sure Apple is worried about that. They probably can't sleep at night...

When is Apple going to wake up and get a barbie dream date application? Until then, Apple is DOOMED in the enterprise!

2008 Mar 09 05:58 PM

[Craig Plunkett:]

The phones are just a device, and you should be building a social network around the features of community, rather than being hung up on the end device. Skype Journal has a great post on the social app stack/framework:
skypejournal.com/blog/...

2008 Mar 11 08:04 PM