iPhone SDK: 5 Reasons to Love, 5 Reasons to Hate

With Apple's announcements yesterday surrounding the iPhone SDK, (the SDK is the platform around which applications for the iPhone will be made) the iPhone took some big steps in becoming THE mobile device to access information on the go. However, after going over some of the fine print, it seems that these advances do not come without some serious restrictions. As a rundown, here are 5 great things and 5 not so great things about the iPhone SDK.

Love:

1. Free Means Free
Apple's breakdown of 30% revenue for Apple and 70% revenue for the Developer seems relatively fair. They have to provide bandwidth, maintain the store, weed out offending applications, etc. However these costs still apply to applications made available for free by the Developers. It is a great gesture by Apple to absorb the costs for any free applications offered via the Application store. Yes, there is a small fee (99$) to be a Developer, but for a popular free application, the costs to manage the application would likely be more.

2. Direct Access
Being able to download new applications anywhere you have wi-fi or a cellular signal is great. Moreover, the ease of use that an application installer brings is leagues above what is out there for other smart phones.

3. Low Barrier To Entry
Again, 99$ is a small price to be able to offer applications to iPhones and iPod Touches that will number in the tens of millions when the Application Store opens later this year. If game developers jump on board, we may truly see the iPhone become the hub of user generate mobile games. Audiosurf + iPhone + mp3's on your iPhone would be one great example of new ways to enjoy your music on the go.

4. Great Developer Support
Having heavyweights like EA, Salesforce, AOL, Sega, Epocrates, etc. means that quality applications will make the iPhone a contender in the mobile computing space. With Developers receiving 70% of all application revenues, it is hard to believe that any major software developer will not want to hop on board.

5. Apple Backed Support For Fledgling Companies
Having the low barrier to entry is great for smaller companies trying to break into the business. However, setting aside $100,000,000.00 to help fund and promote these developers could be huge. Apple is betting the bank on the iPhone and the developers and end users will likely reap the benefits too.

Hate:

1. Must Pass Steve Jobs Test
During the Q&A session, Steve Jobs said VOIP on cellular networks would not be allowed. This suggests Apple is highly invested in protecting it revenue stream. Does this mean no alternate MP3 download applications either? What about programs that play movies from stores other than the iTunes store? VLC would be great for playing any audio or video file you have, but would the competition with Apple's supported formats make it a "no-go"? Moreover, one of the listed limitations would be no applications that were "bandwidth hogs". I can understand that for cellular networks, but the iPhone has Wi-Fi. I think the "bandwidth hog" label will be slapped on a lot of legitimate programs (bittorrent is almost certainly a "no") in order to keep Apple revenues happy.

2. Currently No Disk Access
You can't drag and drop files from a PC onto the iPhone. Moreover, the only files a non-jail broken iPhone can receive are those synced with iTunes. Even if a program like VLC is greenlit, how would you get non-iTunes media files onto the iPhone? Similarly, applications like Office Suites, e-book or comic book readers, etc., may be non-starters because of this limitation.

3. Applications Can't Run In Background
Even if applications like a bittorrent client or podcast catcher made it past the Steve Jobs test, they would have to run in the foreground and be subject to close upon incoming or outgoing calls. This may be a limitation of the iPhone's hardware, but hopefully this will be remedied when the inevitable HSDPA iPhone comes out bringing HSDPA's advances call+simultaneous data capabilities.

4. Accessories Limited
While a true GPS seems like a no-brain addition to the iPhone, the SDK does not open up the dock connector or the bluetooth stacks. This means only roundabout methods, like this companies Wi-Fi product will work without the expensive and limited "Made for iPod" program. Apple could have an amazing 3rd party accessory market for the iPhone with the new SDK, but it is too focused on creating another revenue system.

5. Apple Controls Everything
Pretty much all of the limitations stem from this one. Apple is the gatekeeper of everything that goes on to your iPhone. Any attempt to get around this creates significant hassle for the end-user. Apple has likely created the most powerful, useful mobile platform, yet Apple's desire to control everything holds back significant progress. Maybe competing solutions like Android, Blackberry, and Windows Mobile will force Apple into further opening up, but until then, Apple decides how you use your iPhone, so you better like it.

Coming Weeks

Starting next week, GOnnected will start a series of How To Guides that help you stay connected with what you want, where you want. Next Friday, the first guide, Setting Up a Media Server: The Hub of Your Digital Connections, will go live. Then on each following Friday, new guides will go up so that the goal of being connected to everything you want, everywhere you want, will be in your grasp. GOnnected will be your one stop shop for staying "Connected on the Go!" and appreciates any feedback that helps its readers achieve that goal.