Facebook started the trend for encouraging third party applications, opening up its platform to outside developers last year. The site went ballistic with a flurry of user-friendly apps from Scrabulous to Vampires making Facebook the place to be. Google knew a good idea when it saw one and developed the OpenSocial system, allowing people to develop common APIs across multiple social networks. Now Apple has joined the party, legitimising iPhone hacks with its new iPhone Development Center for webapps.
Apple is maintaining a greater degree of control, inviting developers to submit their applications for consideration. Only those approved will get listed in the iPhone webapps library. So far, some applications that have made the cut include the drawing programme iDoodle, Alternative Channel TV, the game Gumball Bingo and a handy Tip Calculator for when you and your mates are totally incapable of figuring out the bill, let alone the tip.
Apple is also using digital signatures that can be traced to developers. The company admits that this means the system is not "totally open". Even so, the new SDK is good news for geeks everywhere. I wonder if existing apps like the pocketguitar will make the list? Then again, who cares, as long as there's a burgeoning universe of cool apps out there on some website, official or not.
Shinya Kasatani's pocketguitar
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