Steve Jobs, Apple’s Co-Founder today addressed a post to iPhone users, stating that the iPhone will be opened up with a third-party SDK “by February. This will allow for Apple to patch holes in the iPhone’s OS and document the internals of the stripped down OS X operating system so that developers can code for the device natively.

This said, it isn’t so much of an about turn on web based apps, it’s just going to be thin client software that’s mainly coded for the iPhone, based upon current hacks. Web apps have their place, especially when it comes to web based content or small data amounts.

Third party, native iPhone apps will just allow a slew of software apple couldn’t make, IM clients and uploading apps seem to be the obvious limitation of the iPhone, but there’s still things like a missing real RSS reader, file browser, installer, etc. All of these will be made available thanks to the development community soon after the SDK is released.

Apple has something special with the iPhone and it looks like (finally) it’s allowing it to become less of a phone and more of an internet connected third-screen computing platform. 

Saying all that, summerboard has a 1.1.1 alpha out, if anyone with an iPhone wants to give it a shot, neither I, this blog or anyone at nullriver is responsible for the outcome of your iPhone, good or bricked.

Filed under: Apple, Software