As time progresses, it is becoming more and more obvious that Apple is not entertaining our tireless efforts to do what we should be allowed to do in the first place: install 3rd party applications on the iPhone. If we sit here and allow the iPhone to become a closed platform, we will inevitably get what we're waiting for instead of the outcome we want. If there is one thing that common sense will tell you, it's that a business is supported by its loyal customers. Well, it seems that Jobs has forgotten where his interests are. He seems to care a hell of a lot more about how many iPhones/iPods/iMacs he sells daily than about us, the ones who were waiting in line on launch day, the ones who take every opportunity to sing the benefits of a mac to a family member or friend, the ones who pushed Apple from the edge of death to the unprecedented success it takes for granted right now. He is going to close the iPhone with this next firmware update, and for what? To stop people from unlocking it? Fine, Steve, you can do that. I understand he is contractually obligated to do it with at&t. But why, oh why, would Apple decide to come down on the iPhone Dev Community like we did something wrong?

If we don't do something to get our point across, our iPhones will become worthless, proprietary pieces of crap in the snap of a finger, and Apple will still be raking in the cash. If Apple closes the door for all 3rd party apps, they will have no one to compete with, and no motivation to improve the phone. I honestly think that they're not even going to update the iPhone with flash and iChat. Why, you ask? Well, why give it to us for free when they can come out with iPhone 2.0 and get us for even more money.

I know what you're thinking. How can we, the minority, stand up against a huge corporation like Apple? I don't know. But we need to think of something now. If we don't try now, we don't have a chance once the iPhone is closed for good. So, instead of just hitting the back button and blowing this off, or calling me an idiot for trying, please just try with me. I can't do anything alone, but if we stand together, we can do it.

Good post. Your points highlight the reasons why I find Apple one of the most arrogant corporations around. It's not just the hacking community that is driven mad by this type of stuff either. Apple essentially grabs every customer by the nuts and keeps a tight grip. You can't even use an iPod without buying into the whole iTunes thing.

Everything in life is cyclic and Apple's success is not immune. People tend not to forget these type of things, and the day a true competitor shows up, Apple will likely find themselves in a world of hurt. Unfortunately at the moment, there is no competitor and they know it....

I definitely agree with you on that point. There is no way any worldly force could change Apple's ways as a whole. But, I think we could settle for them at least opening the iPhone a little. If we don't act now, we will not have a chance later. Once they release iPhone Firmware 1.1.1 or whatever the hell they'll call it, you can bet that the thing will be as hard to crack as the iPod touch. They are not going to reopen the iPhone once they've made an effort to close it. If we can start some kind of a movement to show them that it's in their best interest to not shut us out, we can get them on our side. People think that huge corporations are equivalent to mountains as far as changing positions goes. This isn't true, we can show Apple why they shouldn't do what they are very, very close to doing.

I know their are probably many, many people here right now thinking about what an insane/stupid person I am for suggesting such a thing, but if we don't at least try to get Apple's attention, we will never get to open the iPhone as it should be. We may be able to get past 1.1.1, we may be able to get past 1.2.1, but if we don't get Apple on our side, we will never get past being the minority, the iPhone dev community will never grow, and all the amazing things that the iPhone could be will cease to exist. I know i'm ranting, I know i'm a little bit crazy, but just support the cause and we can do this. I don't know at this point what method we should use to get Apple's attention, but if we garner up enough attention, the method will come to us.

Sure, all big corporations try to get more money. In this case, though, I must say the official version could be correct: Apple really didn't open way to 3rd party apps because that would increase number of bugs and calls to customer servise 'wt shld i do cuz i brick teh iphone and u suck'. We want 3rd party apps, we have unlock, but we understand we doing that on our own's risk.

If this is correct, the best we can do is continue to develop and test apps and one day Apple will be happy to open.

After all, they are primarily design/hardware makers, so they'll be happy to.

Well, that would be a great plan, but you need to be able to see the direction Apple is going with this. If we sit and wait, we will be sorry.

i think it'll be fun when apple releases the new firmware and no one downloads it. LoL

To my way of thnking the only way to gain attention of those primarily focused with $$ is to attack them precisely on that front.

This is totally idealistic and would probably never work, but who knows now with global communications that way it is.

I believe the best way to send a message to companies who dont always put their customers first is to send them a message through their revenue streams... how do we do this?

You could organise a "No  Day"

This is where all those that believe in have consumer sentiment and wishes placed at a higher value to which it currently is by having a nominated day where no one buys an apple product. From an iTunes song to a piece of software to a full new computer.

Imagine the impact that this can have to a company. Yes fair enough you would just delay what your buying by 1 day, i dont by that iTunes album today but buy it tomorrow... but it could be enough to send a very strong message if globally Apple Sales dipped by whatever percentage.

As i said, may no work, may be too idealistic but if enough people felt this way then it does send a strong message to companiies that the are only where they are because of their customers...

my 5cents worth

Speaking more practically, hopefully iPhone would be a hit. Then other companies will start producing clones. Apple will not be able to do what want. In particular , they will have to unjail the phone.

No matter what you do, you'll be sorry.

Face it, Apple is never going to open the phone to third party developers. They'll add a few hardware hooks that can be called from Web 2.0 apps but we'll never see a full, rich set of APIs for iPhone application development.*

Aside from the delicious fantasy of calling for a viral, world-wide, one month boycott on all Apple products (which will never happen), the concerns of a handful of pissed off developers is as significant to Apple as a gnat on an elephant's ass.

I've been a Mac user for 15 years and a Mac developer for 12 but Apple's "You can write Web pages for the iPhone!!! Isn't that freaking awesome!!!" b.s. broke the spell for me. I'll continue to buy Apple laptops because I like their polished feel, but any forays into phone development will be strictly Linux based. (I can't bring myself to develop for Windows.)

Why beat your head against the wall? Look into Linux handset makers, see what they have to offer in the way of third party development. They want developers where, by every indication, Apple doesn't give a shit. Ask developers on various phone dev forums what's good and bad about developing for phone x. Other handset makers WILL catch up. It might take a year or so but with a market as big as cell phones, it's only a matter of time.

*I'll be happy to be proven wrong on this but I'm not going to hold my breath.