right from the source!

http://www.apple.com/hotnews/

"Third Party Applications on the iPhone

Let me just say it: We want native third party applications on the iPhone, and we plan to have an SDK in developers’ hands in February. We are excited about creating a vibrant third party developer community around the iPhone and enabling hundreds of new applications for our users. With our revolutionary multi-touch interface, powerful hardware and advanced software architecture, we believe we have created the best mobile platform ever for developers.

It will take until February to release an SDK because we’re trying to do two diametrically opposed things at once—provide an advanced and open platform to developers while at the same time protect iPhone users from viruses, malware, privacy attacks, etc. This is no easy task. Some claim that viruses and malware are not a problem on mobile phones—this is simply not true. There have been serious viruses on other mobile phones already, including some that silently spread from phone to phone over the cell network. As our phones become more powerful, these malicious programs will become more dangerous. And since the iPhone is the most advanced phone ever, it will be a highly visible target.

Some companies are already taking action. Nokia, for example, is not allowing any applications to be loaded onto some of their newest phones unless they have a digital signature that can be traced back to a known developer. While this makes such a phone less than “totally open,” we believe it is a step in the right direction. We are working on an advanced system which will offer developers broad access to natively program the iPhone’s amazing software platform while at the same time protecting users from malicious programs.

We think a few months of patience now will be rewarded by many years of great third party applications running on safe and reliable iPhones.

Steve

P.S.: The SDK will also allow developers to create applications for iPod touch. [Oct 17, 2007]"

yeah, but do you think they will let dev team and their anySIM app be installed..

hell no.

well, this could also mean that we will see Iphone Generation 2 around Feb.
It seems likely that Apple will implement the Intel chips and then pub. SDK for that.

This is good news and only means that we are taking good steps towards a really great and freer iPhone dev community.

Well this is pretty darn nifty.

I wonder if we'll be seeing a load of new Apple apps in the near future (with release of Leopard) or if they'll be letting the app creation be handled by the third parties?

All I have to say is that I am so stoked about Salling Clicker and Omnifocus integration that I might not be able to contain meself.

Man I have been waiting for this... the only problem is Jobs will still try to stop people from unlocking in order to please AT&T. However the iPhone is finally taking steps in the direction that it originally should have gone (open platform, unlocked). I guess apple stands to make more money will a locked platform but that comes at the expense of customers getting really pissed off. I'm sure that apple can find other creative revenue models with an open platform and as hardware costs get cheaper the profit margin on the sales alone will be sufficient.

Really good news, I just hope that anySim will survive .
But I don't think there's going to be a 2nd gen iPhone that soon.

It's still not clear from the announcement whether 3rd party apps will have to be approved by Apple and only distributed via iTunes - which is what was expected. If it's truly open then it's tremendous news.

Originally Posted by Tonyd

It's still not clear from the announcement whether 3rd party apps will have to be approved by Apple and only distributed via iTunes - which is what was expected. If it's truly open then it's tremendous news.

"Nokia, for example, is not allowing any applications to be loaded onto some of their newest phones unless they have a digital signature that can be traced back to a known developer. While this makes such a phone less than “totally open,” we believe it is a step in the right direction."

so it wont be open to anybody, you probably need a certificate or some kind of membership. its probably going thru iTunes

is it possible that apptapp may be able to live alongside the "official" apple solution?