The smartest move in iPhone prehistory
The iPhone could be big. You heard it here first.
(Credit: James Martin/CNET News.com)Today, during his keynote at WWDC 2007, Steve Jobs may have done the smartest thing in iPhone prehistory.
With two announcements that didn't receive any of the hype normally associated with the iPhone, Apple may have actually made good on its promise that the iPhone will be revolutionary. Much more revolutionary than pretty looks, a touch screen, a wide-screen iPod, or even visual voice mail.
So revolutionary, in fact, that it may have an impact on much more than just the mobile-phone industry. And they seemed so relatively unimportant at first glimpse...
The two smartest announcements in iPhone prehistory
1. A version of Apple's Safari browser has been released for Windows. (Download here.)
2. The "third-party iPhone apps" Steve Jobs alluded to weeks ago would be Web-based applications, not apps that run natively on the iPhone.
The second of these announcements sounded like a cop-out at first. After all, when Jobs mentioned opening the iPhone up to third-party applications, everyone got the impression he meant they'd actually run on the iPhone, not on a browser.
But here's why it looks so smart after a closer look.
Hedged bets Smart moves
1. Opening Safari to Windows is a great move for the development community. Windows developers can now test Web applications for Safari on Windows machines.
2. One of the iPhone's drawing points is that it runs a full browser (albeit one that won't support Java and possibly won't support Flash), and the iPhone hype machine promises an unparalleled browsing experience for a mobile device.
3. Because Safari is the application platform for the iPhone, Safari on Windows creates a much bigger pool of developers for the iPhone than releasing an SDK would. Making any site "iPhone-compatible" will be the hip thing to do, and developing for a touch screen device could unleash some serious creativity. (Think of the possibilities for porn! Glorious, touch-interactive porn!)
4. Non-native apps also means that iPhone users won't need to download packages or install software. This could be a significant factor for a device that only has 4GB or 8GB of storage (and a lot of songs and videos competing for that space).
5. Web-based apps running on Safari creates no additional security issues for the iPhone. Your iPhone will be as secure as Safari is.
6. Because the apps are Web-based, they are cross-platform by nature. But if you run them on the iPhone, you get a little something extra: a touch screen interface. During the keynote, VP of iPhone software Scott Forstall mentioned that Web applications will "know" they're running on an iPhone and act accordingly. Java's "write once, run anywhere" mantra may be perfected by the iPhone (ironically, a device that purportedly won't run Java).
So maybe, just maybe, the iPhone will be revolutionary on quite a few fronts. At the very least, it may reprioritize some things.
The iPhone's impact on the Web
1. Immediately, Web developers have an exciting new platform to create applications for, and the iPhone's touch screen is a fun interface to think about when creating new applications.
2. This may kick-start Web 2.0's evolution into Web 3.0: sites and services redefined, redesigned, and refined for a handheld platform and fully mobile user base.
3. As competing devices follow suit and shift to a more immersive mobile browsing experience, Web-based software and Web 2.0 sites may have great days ahead of them.
Even for someone who despises the iPhone hype, these announcements are pretty exciting. Apple seems to have mastered the art of declaring itself innovative, and the combined power of the development community and the mass appeal of the iPhone could lead to true innovation. It's good for the iPhone, good for Web 2.0, good for mobile devices, good for developers, and good for users.
But...is it still smart to buy an iPhone?
Alas, some of the iPhone's perceived shortcomings may also become magnified by a cottage industry of third-party Web applications.
1. With such a reliance on Web-based apps, EDGE seems like a terrible decision over 3G networks.
2. Wi-Fi is still in the iPhone's bag of tricks, but let's hope the battery life can take the added pressure.
3. The touch screen-only UI could become a burden for keyboard-intensive apps.
What do you think? Huge news, cop-out 2.0, or somewhere in between? Let us know in the TalkBack section below.
I have loved the information you have shared on current innovations of Webware with us for so long, but after reading you comment in this article about "porn" you have lost me as a daily reader and I will no longer refer my friends to your blog. I am disappointed that a person of such influence as yourself would be a proponent of porn instead of being a proponent of cleaning up all the filth on the web. One app you should really take a look at, with your wife, is K9 Web Filter and encourage people to use that not to get more and more involved with life destroying filth we call "porn" that has spread around the world like a plague destroying so many lives and marriages around the world.
GoodSiteList
I would also like to apologize to Mr. Needleman for addressing the comment to him. I was not aware it wasn't him that wrote it.
GoodSiteList
Safari for Windows and iPhone developement. I keep hearing "Why?" and it's all
too clear to me. It's the SDK they all wanted!
Great article. Considering all of the fantastic widgets people have made for
dashboard I can't wait to see what people make for the iPhone.
through Safari so I don't see how this is opening up the iPhone to third party
developers.
I would be most excited about seeing revolutionary Mac/Windows software like
The Filter ( http://www.thefilter.com ) on the little touchscreen
box.
Look the BIG news here is that the Safari browser is available on Windows!! Millions of developers will now be able to cater to the Mac crowd. Those of us who either don't own macs and/or who work for companies that do not readily have Mac's around can now test on Safari. In general this is not a big issue, as if your a decent Modern coder and cross-check in IE/Firefox your code is golden in Safari, but there are always cases where you get unexpected results is Safari. This is one small step for Apple, on giant leap for mankind.
Listed on CNet's home page today -
http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9728500-7.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=NewsBlog&tag=cnetfd.blog
No 3G? No KB? No push email? No thanks.
Wifi? great if I want to sit at home and use my phone, though I rather use my laptop/desktop and view the web on large screen. If there was the possibility of calls via wifi (like skype for windows mobile or TMO's uma), there might be a draw.
Google apps? great. But Windows Live Search is pretty solid and simple to use.
I'm not about to criticize something thats not even available, but I don't see what all the excitement is about.
So what happens this Fall when they start selling the iPod only version of this handheld? How likely that they keep the WiFi and the browser capabilities??? If so, then you have a tremendous platform to roll out all sorts of web apps to millions of users and of course Apple will be at the head of the line with iTunes. Don't tell me that won't revolutionize online retailing of all sorts.
I don't know whether the iPhone will make all that big a difference in this world. Probably not. But a world filled with browser enabled iPods??? Add in some digital wallet technology??? What about a little GPS in a future generation??? Use your iPod to lead you through online and bricks and mortar purchases. Now THAT's exciting.
I can't wait to see the new iPods. That's where Apple really takes off.
BT
It would have been a big news if Iphone would run FF and most web application would just run with little tweak or non at all. Now that would be big. But to make us support safari. What's the point? If safari was meant to ease the creation of iphone application, then why not go all the way and just use FF that has a larger usage and is better understood by the developers.
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