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Apple on Thursday is to unveil a "software
roadmap" for outside developers interested in making programs
for its hip, hot iPhones.
In trademark enigmatic style,
Apple provided scant detail regarding what it plans to debut at an
invitation-only event at its headquarters in Cupertino, California.
"Please join us to learn
about the iPhone software roadmap, including the iPhone SDK
(software developer kit) and some exciting new enterprise
features," an invitation reads.
Apple is apparently following
through on a promise its iconic chief executive Steve Jobs made in
October to open the zealously guarded inner workings of iPhones to
computer programs made by outsiders.
Gartner analyst Van Baker expects
Apple to skew opportunities in favor of large, established
developers and be wary of letting maverick software savants play
unfettered with iPhone software.
"I think Apple is going to
keep a pretty tight rein on this because the last thing they want is
some fly-by-night guy writing an iPhone program that breaks
it," Baker told AFP.
Apple is expected to make iPhones
more compatible with business applications, such as receiving email
"pushed" from company servers, in a move that would
challenge BlackBerry devices made by Research In Motion.
Apple wants to let developers
tinker with iPhone software while simultaneously protecting against
viruses and other malicious code.
Jobs is on record saying he
expects iPhones to be "a highly visible target" for
malevolent software wizards.
Applications made for iPhones
should also work on the new iPod Touch, which is essentially an
iPhone without the mobile phone feature.
Jobs said Apple might take a
lesson from Nokia, which is not allowing outside applications onto
some of their new mobile telephone models unless the software has a
"digital signature" from a known developer.
Hackers began prying open iPhones
to insert custom applications, and break the exclusive service tie
between the devices and telecom giant AT&T, shortly after the
mobile phones made their US debut in June of last year.
Jobs said in February that Apple
has sold more than four million iPhones, touch-screen mobile devices
combining telephone, video, music, and Internet connectivity.
--AFP
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