Apple launches iPhone SDK based on Mac OS X

n the space of an hour Apple has revolutionised the capabilities of its iPhone, as it tries to appeal to gamers and businessmen alike, however users of the phone will have to wait until June before they can start benefiting. Announcing the launch of its Software Developers Kit at its town hall event in at its headquarters in California, the newly announced SDK will allow developers the chance to use the same APIs and tools that Apple says it uses in-house to develop iPhone applications. The announcement is likely to cause an avalanche of new applications for users of the mobile phone. Apple will allow programmers to build applications that have access to the handset's database as well as applications that are location-aware. Additionally they will also be able to access the device's accelerometer that works on 3-axis sensor for motion control. Showing how easy it will be to design and develop apps for the handset Phil Schiller, senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing for Apple built an application on the fly in the presentation. Apple has said that rather than build a new piece of code for developers to build applications it has merely enhanced it current set of Mac OS tools such as Xcode and Cocoa. Developers will be able to test their applications on a Mac to see how they perform and use battery life with the ability to change elements in real time. To help developers further Apple has said that it will also launch an iPhone simulator that runs on OS X. Applications will be available to download directly from the iPhone via a new store Apple is calling the App Store. The software is promised for the next software update due in June. Apple will charge developers $99 to publish applications and take a further 30% of the revenue, however Apple has said there will be no charge for applications that are offered for free to end users. Apple has also hinted that it will be encouraging a push towards games for the device and will also be adding in OpenGL support, 3dimensional sound support and support for OpenAL. Apple has said that the software update and Developers Kit will be available to iPod touch users however - as with the update announced at the beginning of the year - there will again be a charge. Apple plans to release the final iPhone 2.0 software, including the iPhone SDK and new enterprise features, as a free software update for all iPhone customers by the end of June.