Apple forbids navigation apps on iPhone 3G (except its own)
The Internets are abuzz with the announcement of an all-new iPhone, and with features like 3G data connections, new applications and GPS navigation, we're excited too. If you've been making plans to produce your own navigation app for iPhone 2.0, however, you may not be all that thrilled. A closer look at the iPhone SDK agreement shows that creating software for "real-time route guidance" is forbidden. This may mean that the creative kids at Cupertino aren't going to let anyone compete with the the Google maps solution it's already settled on. If true, companies like Garmin and TomTom, the latter of which has already confirmed that it's created a navigation app, would be unable to create salable navigation software for the popular touch-screen phone. Then again, you also can't do automatic or autonomous control of vehicles, aircraft, or other mechanical devices; dispatch or fleet management software; or use the iPhone for emergency or life-saving purposes.Our friends over at Engadget may be on to something, however, when they note that Apple may just be covering its rear-quarters in the event people start suing for bad directions. Lets hope it's just a liability thing, because competition is always a good thing when it comes to new technology, and we want some TomTom on our new iPhone.
[Source: Engadget]
Get a WordPress.com Blog
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Fernando 10:35AM (6/12/2008)
We all know that someone is going to a create turn-by-turn app for the iPhone and people are going to jailbreak their phone to get at the new app. Then Apple will realize they could be making coin on that application, sell the rights, and make bank off of it (like they've already done, twice).
Reply
Nick 11:59AM (6/12/2008)
Yeah, that's not gonna work. No nav company is going to risk their relationship with Apple by having users Jailbreak their phone in order to install the app, and if they charge money, Apple will make an example out of them by a) updating the iphone software to keep the app from running and b)locking them out of iphone development. While there are some geeks who jailbreak and run homebrew apps, the iPhone is a consumer product and the audience is simply not going to do it. Apple is going to be VERY aggressive here in defending their turf, for better or for worse. This doesn't mean that there isn't a third part out there, but if TomTom is developing on iPhone, you can bet your ass that they wouldn't make that investment without creating some sort of arrangement with Apple.
Vintage 10:35AM (6/12/2008)
Who cares about this piece of crap. It has a 2MP camera. What a joke.
Reply
Aprime 10:50AM (6/12/2008)
Why do you even care? It's not like cameraphones were actually good enough to do photography in the first place.
They could make it 10MP just to satisfy fools like you, but make sure don't complain about even shoddier image quality, considering the size of the lens.
Chris 11:08AM (6/12/2008)
Its a joke because it ONLY has a 2MP camera?
Guess what? its a phone...its not supposed to take 10mp images...if your seriously using your phone for legit photography, you're the joke...not the phone.
mk 11:13AM (6/12/2008)
Nice.
The single most revolutionary personal information systems device ever, that EVERYONE is trying to catch up to...
and you think a "camera" is the disqualification?
Buy a damn Nikon, or something. It isn't supposed to replace a real camera, it is merely for taking the equivalent of "photo notes" on the fly, and it does that. It will probably do video as soon as an app is released to record it.
But seriously... iPhone isn't perfect, I know it. I have one, and there are a couple of frustrating things (no bluetooth stereo audio from the iPod section is a HUGE splinter under my skin.)
No one is saying that you have to buy one. Don't buy one.
But a device with over 90% user approval rating, which is OFF THE CHARTS compared to most other cell phones, is hardly a piece of crap because it doesn't incorporate a DSLR-grade camera. Sure it could be better, but the camera isn't the main point of this device.
Besides that, I'll worry about navigation on my iPhone when google maps gets a hell of a lot better. It took me 25 miles out of the way, chasing a HORRIBLY wrong address last night. That isn't iPhone, that is Google Maps data errors.
but as a phone and mobile internet terminal goes, it is second to NONE. and 3G only makes it better, where the service is available. (not here, so I am keeping my V1 16GB iPhone for a while... maybe until 32 or 64GB iPhones come out. :D)
Vintage 11:02AM (6/12/2008)
That's my point. If it doesn't replace even the crappiest digital camera, why even bother including it?!
Pacman 11:05AM (6/12/2008)
Do you like anything? You are the most negative contrarian ever. You’re a grumpy old man.
Vintage: "I hate Harley Davidson, I hate Apple, I hate robots with Boobs!"
Vintage 11:07AM (6/12/2008)
Actually I like Apple a lot, they just make really stupid decisions half the time.
It's true though, I do hate HD and the GM commercial that is Transformers.
MUSASHI66 11:19AM (6/12/2008)
My friend has a Nokia N82 with a 5mp camera and Carl Zeiss lens, takes really nice pictures, on par with my 3-4 year old Sony with 5mp and Carl Zeiss lens.
I am waiting for a perfect phone that can be my phone, digital camera and MP3 player, that is not going to break the bank. Imagine having only one device instead of three when you are going somewhere? I stopped using my iPOD since I got a phone that has an MP3 player and 2GB of storage, there is just no need to carry two devices.
So I agree, 2mp in a phone that prides it self on multimedia capabilities is just not enough.
Whoever thinks that this is "just a phone" is obviously missing another baggilion features it has.
Aprime 11:20AM (6/12/2008)
The thing is you should only be using cameraphones as a last resort, when you don't actually have your camera with you but *need* to capture a moment.
Megapixels matter not.
MajorGeek 11:22AM (6/12/2008)
Ignore Vintage, he replies the same to the Iphone as he does any Hummer thread. My guess is he hates anything he can't afford and this is how he lashes out.
Aprime 11:24AM (6/12/2008)
What's wrong with hating a brand with no future and probably the worst image of the entire automobile industry?
Vintage 11:41AM (6/12/2008)
You people just don't get it. I have been a mac user and apple fan since about 93. Their DESIGN PHILOSOPHY is to do more with less, and if it is going to suck, they don't even bother. This is why iPods don't have FM tuners and voice recorders and all sorts of other useless features: Becuase they wanted to focus on a few key areas, and do them REALLY WELL. This is the reason apple is successful.
What pisses me off is that the iPhone is supposed to be a game changer, and although it has, it falls short of it's multimedia experience promise. It has a camera, and if it were to follow apple's philosophy, it should take GOOD PICTURES. If not, they shouldn't bother putting the camera on there in the first place, because what is the point of having a sh*tty camera?! I'm not saying it should replace a DSLR, I'm saying that my OLD canon point and shoot takes pictures that are far FAR better htan this piece of crap.
As soon as I can get a device that takes decent pictures (3mp, decent sized lens, flash, zoom, autofocus), can play music easily (1-2 gigs at least) and is a decently easy to use phone, I'm going to buy it.
And apple COULD have done this. But instead they sold out and installed an inferior piece of garbage in the iPhone, so it doesn't replace my camera at all. I'd much prefer a thicker iPhone with a GOOD camera, and I know I'm not alone on this.
Aprime 11:43AM (6/12/2008)
No one cares whether or not you like Apple, ffs.
Pacman 11:44AM (6/12/2008)
Aprime - ok I guess that explains the Hummer hate but why Apple and HD and Robots with Boobs? Both HD and Apple are very similar companies in different industries. They are the best at marketing and image and customers absolutly love them. Both also have haters that hate them for nothing else than being super popular. Both are great American companies making great returns for investors.
Keat 11:46AM (6/12/2008)
Like everyone has said before: Its not supposed to replace a point and shoot camera! If it was supposed to, apple would have put it on there. But they didn't because they would have to sacrifice design elements that make the PHONE a cool PHONE.
Keat 11:46AM (6/12/2008)
Like everyone has said before: Its not supposed to replace a point and shoot camera! If it was supposed to, apple would have put it on there. But they didn't because they would have to sacrifice design elements that make the PHONE a cool PHONE.
Patrick Austin 12:05PM (6/12/2008)
2mp isn't enough? For 90% of the population, it is. How often does your grandma make prints over 4x6 or 5x7? 2 Megapixels is enough for good prints at that size. 2MP is a reasonable 200 lines per inch printed at 6x8. You can even stretch it to 8x10 if you do some uprezzing and don't care about it being super duper sharp.
Megapixels don't matter, IMO. For all practical purposes, I see no major differences between my old 3mp canon point and shoot and newer 7mp ones, except the old one has less noise. For that matter, at 11"x14" I see almost no difference between my old 6mp dSLR's shots and my current 10mp ones.
Size trumps everything in a phone. If the damn thing is going to be in my pocket every minute of every day, it has to be comfortable. I'm happy that apple chose the camera that fits the form factor rather than the other way around.
jgp 12:27PM (6/12/2008)
Of all the reason to hate the iPhone (and there are plenty), the quality of the camera is by far the least of them.
Want more reasons to hate the iPhone? Closed-off platform, no keyboard, being exclusive to one carrier, requiring a two-year contract, no custom ringtones.
Yeah, the iPhone sucks, but you could've picked something better to nail Apple to the wall with.