The Apple iPhone suffers from a cruel irony. Much like a comely Mormon, the sexiest phone on the market is also arguably the most inhibited — the famously closed deck
allows little personalization. Users can only access third-party Web apps through the browser. The iTunes library sports very few downloadable ringtones.
There
aren’t even any offline games to play.
Finally, Apple announced a software development kit (SDK) for February release that gives third parties direct access to
the deck. This move seems to invite dizzying possibilities for media companies and brands. “Having an open environment is key to fulfilling the personalization and empowerment aspect of the
phone,” says Gene Keenan, vice president of mobile services, Isobar Global. “Third party development will allow brands and advertisers to build or subsidize these empowering
applications.” The beauty of the iPhone operating system for brands is its integration. Application features could link directly into maps, e-mail, search and the Web, all within the
phone’s innovative multi-touch interface. Companies could develop broad and deep applications that pull together information and interact with users in ways no other phones on the market could
manage. “I view this as a major win for everyone, including Apple,” says Keenan.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs says it will take until February to perfect the
development kit because the company is struggling to do two things at once: “Provide an advanced and open platform to developers, while at the same time protect iPhone users from viruses,
malware, privacy attacks etc.” In short, the deck is protecting itself before any new relationships.
So just how open is “open?” Apple’s
ultimate gatekeeper role in allowing applications access to the deck is still unclear. Dan Flanegan, senior vice president, brand marketing at Single Touch Interactive, wonders if marketers should
bother vaulting any certification process Apple imposes on them, when they can write great iPhone-enabled apps in the current Web environment. “It might be a blessing in disguise,” he
suggests. As traditional app developers focus on deep feature-rich utilitarian apps using the development kit, interactive marketers can focus on relevant, immediate interactive experiences via iPhone
Web apps.” So, in the short-term, we might be talking about our Mormon friend getting a little drunk at a party one night and giving her phone number to every guy in the room.