iPhone SDK Limitations Could Fracture Development Community

The recently announced iPhone SDK is still in beta, with the full version expected sometime in June, almost one year since the release of the iPhone. The June relase of iPhone Software Update 2.0 will allow the iPhone to run a myriad of third party applications that will be released as a result of the iPhone SDK. With the dust settling from last week's announcement, many in the blogosphere are concerned over the limitations of the iPhone SDK, with the limitations perhaps leading to a development community to split in two, one catering to the "jailbreak" community and the other offering Apple sanctioned apps.

Applications Cannot Run in Background

The main complaint from developers appears to be the reluctance of Apple to allow background processes. Essentially, when you leave an application, that application would have to quit. This would hinder the development of an application that perhaps updated RSS feeds in the background or an IM app that notifies the user of new chat message. These are applications that exist on other smartphones, so it's certainly not uncharted territory. One must understand Apple's position, as they want to retain the stability of the iPhone platform. Smartphones running Windows Mobile Smartphone have characteristically suffered from applications running in the background. If a user running Windows Mobile Smartphone doesn't regularly quit tasks, the offending apps will slow down the phone. By not allowing developers to run applications in the background, Apple is safeguarding users from potential stability issues.

A Splintered Development Community

The App Store that Apple will launch in June will offer developers access to the complete iPhone user base. Applications that receive Apple's blessing will be just a swipe away from an ever growing iPhone user community. It's unclear whether the restrictions put in place by Apple will create a splintered development community. iPhone Atlas conducted an interview with Jonathan