Apple Opens Up The iPhone
Apple has previewed its iPhone 2.0 software. Not available in full until June, the beta release of the software is actually available to selected developers and enterprise customers now.
The iPhone 2.0 beta release includes both the iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK) as well as new enterprise features such as support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync to provide secure, over-the-air push e-mail, contacts and calendars as well as remote wipe, and the addition of Cisco IPsec VPN for encrypted access to private corporate networks. Anyone can download the Beta iPhone SDK for free and run the iPhone Simulator on their Mac.
Apple said it’s pretty stoked about creating a vibrant third-party developer community with potentially thousands of native applications for iPhone and iPod touch. The iPhone SDK provides developers with a set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and tools so they can use to hopefully create innovative applications for iPhone and iPod touch.
Apple has licensed Exchange ActiveSync from Microsoft and is building it right into the iPhone, so that iPhone will connect out-of-the-box to Microsoft Exchange Servers 2003 and 2007 for secure over-the-air push e-mail, contacts, calendars and global address lists. Built-in Exchange ActiveSync support also enables security features such as remote wipe, password policies and auto-discovery.
The iPhone 2.0 software supports Cisco IPsec VPN, as well as the ability to authenticate using digital certificates or password-based, multi-factor authentication. The addition of WPA2 Enterprise with 802.1x authentication enables enterprise customers to deploy iPhone and iPod touch with the latest standards for protection of Wi-Fi networks.
During the beta iPhone SDK program, a limited number of developers will be accepted into Apple’s new iPhone Developer Program and offered the ability to get code onto iPhones for testing. The Standard Program costs $99 (£50) per year and gives members an iPhone SDK and development tools; access to pre-release iPhone software; technical support; the ability to get code onto iPhones for testing; and distribution of applications via the new App Store. The Enterprise Program costs $299 (£150) per year.
