So on Thursday Apple supplied developers the tools to create native apps and in doing so made the iPhone and iPod Touch the next computing platform. One of the most interesting aspects of this is that both these devices can now become what Palm and Windows Mobile have failed to achieve, truly great portable platforms. Don't get me wrong, Palm and Microsoft have been around for a long while and have huge development resources but clearly have a long way to being great multipurpose tools. Don't get me wrong I love my Palm (as dodgy as that sounds) but the software available for it has left me feeling this device is going the way of the Dodo which is ironically mostly due it it's own undoing. Don't even get me started on how pathetic Windows Mobile is. But the iPhone and iPod Touch are interesting. I read on Ars Technica this gem of a quote: [quote]Jobs asserted that Flash ran too slowly on the iPhone—which is another way of saying the iPhone isn't fast enough to run Flash—and suggested that something else was needed.[/quote]

Clearly this was BEFORE the SDK launch because if the iPhone and iPod Touch can play 3D games like the one invented by Apple and Spore from EA so very well then clearly that speaks of the incompetence of  Adobe to build resource friendly apps.

My favourite app that was shown in the Event video was from a company called Epocrates. This medical app pulled of some absolutely mind blowing things all done in two weeks utilising one of the lesser known parts of Mac OS X that of SQL Lite. The app was able to store the entire database of pills within the builtin SQL Lite database meaning doctors and nurses could get all the information in one place without needing to be connected to the network. Considering the policies against cellphones in hospitals this is very handy.

But looking at the apps that are possible on the iPhone and Touch we see only the surface has been scratched. Considering that the iPhone/Touch 2.0 software won't be release until June that gives 4 months of solid development to bring truly amazing apps to the platform. Seeing what can be done in 2 weeks imagine the quality in 4 months. 

The thing that makes the iPhone/Touch  such a great platform is that they don't actually have any real shortcomings that need to be developed by third party developers. As such only real apps need to be developed. Much of the software on Palm and Windows Mobile comes from the fact that there are such huge discrepancies in their systems that 3rd party developers have to fix these problems and even then the platform isn't anywhere near the potential it could be. There is a big business in developing system fixes that there are no truly special apps on either platform except maybe Documents To Go which is a better Word and Excel editor than Office for Windows Mobile - go figure. Already the iPhone and Touch have the best mobile browser, best mobile e-mail reader, best music and video player, and best picture viewer. This means that developers are able to solely concentrate on awesome games, utilities, and full blown apps.

AOL came out with an IM, Epocrates with an awesome medical handheld database like they've never been able to develop before, EA came out with Spore, and Sega bought out Super Monkeyball and was led to say this feels like how Super Monkeyball should have been controlled.

One of the guys at work has a hack app running that allows him to VNC to his machines including his media centre in such a way that he needs no remote for any of his machines including the Media Centre. Imagine that as a proper iPhone/Touch app.

But one thing the media pounced on was that Apple takes 30% of the sales. What was funny was instantly developers came back and said this is the best deal we've ever been given. Apparently currently developers get 50% of sales but marketing and fees all come from their half of the 50% so they could really be only getting 30-40% instead of 70%. Apple takes care of the fees, hosting, and marketing. That sounds like a sweet ride for developers.

Paid or free upgrade the device has finally made it into the platform we have all wanted it to be. It is perfect for corporates, it is perfect for consumers, and it is perfect for developers. Put iWork on there and I will ditch my Palm right here right now.

The only developer that now makes sense to bring to the iPhone/Touch is Nintendo. If Apple could get them onboard then there would be no reason to buy any other device. 

Update: I was reading another blog the other day and the writer released some interesting specs that reinforces my belief that the iPhone/Touch can be a truly amazing gaming platform. Check these specs out:

• Sony PSP

Processor: MIPS CPU @ 222 or 333MHz (selectable)
Screen: 480x272 pixels
Input: D-pad, analog stick

• Nintendo DS

Processor: two ARM CPUs (67MHz and 33MHz)
Screen: two 256x192 pixel screens
Input: D-pad, touch-screen

• iPhone

Processor: ARM CPU @ 620MHz
Screen: 480x320 pixels
Input: multitouch 

Essentially  this makes the iPhone/Touch twice as fast as the PSP and almost 5 times faster than the DS with a better screen than both.