14 DAY TRIAL // Seven days have passed since the release of the iPhone software development kit (SDK). Seven glorious days during which developers, small and big, have been allowed to use the same tools that Apple uses to make applications for the iPhone. As it turns out, the SDK garnered 100,000 downloads in not seven, but four days since its release.
At the event, Apple folks invited their partners up on stage, including EA's Travis Boatman, who showed off the iPhone version of Spore, while Scott Forstall, iPhone VP, offered a tour of the iPhone SDK.
Apple demonstrated games and apps that use both the iPhone's touchscreen features and motion-sensing capabilities. After EA's Spore demonstration, Salesforce showed how iPhone users would be able to track sales leads. Then came AOL and showed off this instant messaging client. Seemingly, games will play an important role on the iPhone, with SEGA playing a Super Monkey Ball demo on Apple's device as well.
The company also confirmed rumors that iTunes and the App Store would be the ways to buy and download iPhone apps, with customers being able to browse and search for their favorite ones. The best thing, however, is that some of them apps will be made available for free download! As far as the purchasable ones go, developers will be getting 70% of the sales revenue paid monthly, with no credit card fees being applied.
The App Store will even sport this search feature which will enable iPhone users to go straight for the game or application they want to download and start downloading it immediately, over the home network or Wi-Fi. Also, users will be notified whenever there's an update available, with a small sign appearing on the top right corner of the App Store icon.
There are some restrictions of course, meaning that pornography, bandwidth hogs, and anything that could cause "unforeseen" problems mustn't be found within an iPhone app. Also, cellular connections won't allow VoIP, but Wi-Fi has a go on that!
Also, the Cupertino folks took advantage of the Town Hall event to announce that they would include support for a number of requested enterprise iPhone features, as part of the 2.0 software update due out in June.
Apple also informs that the video posted last week has been watched over a million times.
