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Apple just unveiled their plans for releasing the iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK). The iPhone SDK will allow users to write original applications for their phones in a very user-friendly environment. By putting this software in the hands of the general public, they can tap into the nearly infinite potential of human development. On top of making it possible for most developers to create applications, Apple announced their new application distribution system to make it very profitable for developers. Programmers can freely submit their work to a global system where users can search and download their content for whatever price the developer sees fit. Apple handles the distribution and billing, and allows the creators to keep 70% of the profit. When you think of the millions of users in the world who might use a good game or useful tool, you can get an idea of how profitable good software can actually be.

Apple has made their new iPhone SDK available for free to all who want to download it. This precludes the iPhone software 2.0 update scheduled for June of 2008. It does however require an Intel based Macintosh running Leopard to install and run. If you are like me and still running the last of the G5 processors you now have a reason to upgrade.

In the keynote address Apple says the iPhone SDK provides developers with a rich set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and tools to create innovative applications for iPhone and iPod® touch. The SDK is esentially the same xcode as you would use for writing applications for the Mac OS. For those of you new to xcode its not a language, it is a tool that allows you to write code in a variety of languages. So you can learn XCode without much experience programming, but you won't get very far without some programming knowledge in a language like C, C++, or objective C.

So if you are still sitting there thinking ok I can do that then I think you hopefully will get excited about this new opportunity that has emerged. Apple also introduced its new iPhone Developer Program. It has two levels. One for end user development and one for Enterprise level development. The iPhone SDK will allow developers to create amazing applications that leverage the iPhone’s Multi-Touch™ user interface, animation technology, large storage, built-in three-axis accelerometer and geographical location technology to deliver a wide variety of mobile applications.

We have created this forum for developers and users alike to start a knowledge pool to brainstorm on the endless possibilities that exist with the iPhone open software. As a matter of fact there is an initive called iFund. This is a 100 Million dollar fund for developers to help market their iPhone application ideas.

Stay tuned and please participate.