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No iPhone SDK Means No iPhone Killer Apps

Posted by kdawson on from the dang-no-photoshop dept.

iPhoneLover/Hater writes "Gizmodo is running an article analyzing the potential failure of the iPhone as a truly revolutionary platform. The reason: no SDK to harness the true power of Mac OS X and the frameworks contained in Apple's smart cell. From the article: 'According to Apple, "no software developer kit is required for the iPhone." However, the truth is that the lack of an SDK means that there won't be a killer application for the iPhone. It also means the iPhone's potential as an amazing computing and communication platform will never be realized. And because of this and no matter how Apple tries to sell it, the iPhone won't make a revolution happen.'"

18 of 657 comments (clear)

  1. well.. by untaken_name · · Score: 5, Funny

    you say you want a revolution, well you know, we all want an SDK.

    --
    http://xkcd.com/386/
    1. Re:well.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      No SDK for you!

  2. It's just a phone... by pudding7 · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...not the Declaration of Independence. What "revolution" did you envision a phone making? Suddenly people stop talking while driving? That would be revolutionary.

    1. Re:It's just a phone... by fm6 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Actually, it depends on where the Wheel of Fortune is when it stops revolving. You may win a dream vacation, or you may be required to sign away your soul.

    2. Re:It's just a phone... by Lumpy · · Score: 2, Funny

      Actually the phone could do that. Disable handset use when it sees it is travelling faster than 25mph. allows bluetooth headset and hands free, but have an anti-asshat mode.

      problem is the asshats outnumber the smart and courteous 60 to 1. so products are catered to the asshats.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  3. No SDK? Call MacGyver! by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 4, Funny
    However, the truth is that the lack of an SDK means that there won't be a killer application for the iPhone.

    Right, 'cause it's impossible to develop software (and/or quality software) without an SDK. I guess we'll have to pull a MacGyver: get me Emacs, a compiler, some libraries, a pack of gum, some yarn, a can of WD-40 and some Hot Pockets...

    --
    It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
  4. Re:Another one? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Are you crazy? I predict its going to be bigger than the segway.

  5. No beowulf cluster? by wumpus188 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Lame.

  6. Re:Unless... by HTTP+Error+403+403.9 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Grrr, slash needs an edit-button
    Without an edit button, /.'s potential as an amazing computing and communication forum will never be realized.
    --
    I'm not a Troll, it's reverse psychology.
  7. Re:No killer app? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    > Who's to say that Apple can't/won't write that killer app?

    History:)

  8. Re:Another one? by Kintar1900 · · Score: 2, Funny

    We *are* using the Firehose responsibly, right?

    You mean you don't get entered into a $10,000 raffle just for clicking "vote up" on all of the items? =( Damn, there go my vacation plans...

  9. This just in... by jpellino · · Score: 5, Funny

    Apple read your comment, and that's the last straw.
    They're canceling the iPhone, disbanding the dev team, and selling the entire production run at Overstock.com and everyone gets a free Clio while supplies last.
    Oh, and you're invited to a party at John Dvorak's house.
    You have to bring the Tostitos, Shaw Wu's bringing the Dr. Pepper.

    --
    "Win treats sysadmins better than users. Mac treats users better than sysadmins. Linux treats everyone like sysadmins."
  10. "Just a phone"???!!! by fm6 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Next you'll be telling me the Mac is "just a computer"!

  11. Re:It doesn't do what I need by blackmonday · · Score: 2, Funny

    In Cupertino, Steve Jobs pulled the plug on the iPhone product merely weeks before launch. Slahdot user Maynard needed to annotate PDFs, and the iPhone did not meet his exacting standards. PDF annotation immediately became the number one priority of Nokia, Motorola and Microsoft, as the billions to be reaped with this killer app would surely fill the bottom line with boulders of gold.

  12. Re:It doesn't do what I need by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I need a tool to manipulate divergent notes from a variety of projects Yeah, it's called a laptop.
  13. Re:Revolutions... by gkhan1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    You know the usage of the term "revolution" to describe a cell phone device just makes me sad as a 21st century man. The fact that this is what we apply the term to nowadays shows our supreme lack of imagination or want for something better. If we could have the type of revolution our forefathers had for silly import taxes for health coverage, worker's rights ,the ability for criminal corporations to poison our environment, politicians that adhere to big business's needs more than the will of the people, that'd be really doing somethin

    You know the usage of the term "revolution" to describe political affairs just makes me sad as a 17th century man. The fact that this is what we apply the term to nowadays shows our supreme lack of imagination or want for something better. If we could have the type of revolution our forefathers had using timber logs, potter's wheels, the ability for criminal corporations roll their carriages, politicians that adhere to big business's needs for more mobile cannons, that'd be really doing somethin.

  14. Re:Lets be honest here: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Wait for the iPhone shuffle! No screen, one button. Calls a number at random. Mmmmn minimalism, so user friendly! And encourages conversation with random people, everybody talks, everyone pays... more! Take that more featureful phones of comparative price, Hyahhh!

  15. 12st Century by StarKruzr · · Score: 2, Funny

    Twelfst?

    --

    +++ATH0