Jobs waves iPhone, talks applications

June launch still go

Posted in Mobile, 31st May 2007 10:57 GMT

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Steve Jobs revealed a little more about Apple's iPhone at the All Things Digital conference, promising the much-awaited device will hit its June deadline, and talking up the possibility of third-party applications.

Interviewed by Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal, Jobs waved around his own handset and proudly declared that it was the best iPod Apple had ever made, not to mention the best (if only) phone.

When questioned about mobile video, Jobs was dismissive of current deployments, saying it has failed because mobile phones don't offer a proper internet experience.

The iPhone will apparently offer a grown-up internet experience, but it won't download video over the air - only through synchronisation with iTunes running on a desktop computer.

Given the lack of 3G connectivity that makes some sense. But restricting downloads to Wi-Fi connections introduces the very kind of complexity the iPhone isn't supposed to have.

When accused of making the iPhone closed to third-party developers, Jobs fell back on security - a platform which allows third-party development would be less stable, so Apple is apparently "working to find a way to allow developers to build applications for it".

"We would like to solve this problem and if you could just be a little more patient with us, we'll do it."

Without Java, some form of alternative sandbox arrangement will be needed, with AJAX as the most probable contender.

Apple is also holding to its June 2007 delivery schedule, though a suggestion that it would be the last day of the month was greeted with a wry laugh, as can be seen in the video clip of the interview. ®

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