Apple Announces iPhone SDK
What does this mean for DataViz?
iPhone users, potential users, and admirers will surely be happy to know that Apple took a big step toward creating a development community for the iPhone this week by announcing a Software Development Kit (SDK) for the iPhone. From the words of Mr. Jobs himself:
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.
Apple’s original stance on application development for the iPhone came in the form of a suggestion: create web-based applications that can be accessed through the iPhone’s Safari web browser. This was disappointing news to developers of mobile applications who are used to having much more access. Palm, for example, has had a large developer community for years. One could certainly argue that the level of growth they achieved would not have been possible without third party software development.
In yesterday’s press release, Jobs said the SDK will not be available until February of 2008 because they want to open up the platform while keeping the device safe from viruses.
This is no easy task. …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. … 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.
So what does this mean for DataViz, you ask? Hard to say at this point (after all, the SDK was only announced yesterday and won’t be available for a few months), but imagine Exchange ActiveSync access to your email, editing Office files, and having all of your PINs and passwords encrypted and easily accessed on your new iPhone!
We’ve been getting more and more requests each day asking us - begging, in some cases - to bring our applications to the iPhone, specifically Documents To Go, RoadSync, and Passwords Plus. Thanks to this announcement, we’ll be able to give this serious consideration. You can bet we’ll have our hands on this SDK as soon as possible. I can’t guarantee anything, but please, if you are interested in having DataViz software on your iPhone, let us know!
Related Articles:
[7/12/2007] iPhone: IMAP vs. ActiveSync
[1/18/2007] iPhone: Third Party Software?
Comments
I'd love to have the ability to make quick edits to office documents, spreadsheets, and presentations on the go through iphone 3g. Even though it isn't optimal for serious editing, sometimes it's nice to be able to do small changes while on long commutes (I frequent mass transportation), and/or while you are nowhere near a computer w/out resorting to full blown laptop. I see it as additional options and extended functionality, which is always welcome. Another option I'm looking forward to for iPhone is ability to connect to corporate emails from exchange server.
Naysayers say no, until they actually have the ability to use the said app. I believe many will end up installing it anyway when it's available. Makes perfect sense to release! TYVM dataviz.
Posted by: gerald watkins | October 30, 2008 1:53 PM
As many here and on the web have indicated, we think the iPhone would be an opportunity Dataviz should ignore. I've used DocsToGo, Password Plus and SmartLists for years, along with Daily Dilbert. I think Password Plus would be a good first step (seems very straight-forward), but the Mac desktop version needs fixin'. I use SmartLists more than DocsToGo, plus I think it may provide a better revenue stream, as no other app can compete with the current version's featureset.
Posted by: Chris | September 12, 2008 4:55 PM
Documents to Go for iPhone. Please do.
Posted by: Ian | September 2, 2008 12:07 PM
I need to have the Documents to go applications available for the iPhone. I am Having to move off of the Treo shortly and want to purchase the Documents to go (for iPhone) as soon as it is available.
Posted by: R Mitchell | August 13, 2008 9:43 PM
I've been a user of DTG for many years on Palm platform and recently switching to the Iphone, I would be the first one in line to pay for it...
Dataviz, don't let that golden opportunities pass by...
Thanks for listening...
Posted by: Sylvain Arbour | July 14, 2008 1:00 PM
Please port Documents to Go and Passwords Plus to the iphone. I currently have them on my Palm T/X but that is just about all I need my Palm for.
Posted by: Charles Seagraves | July 12, 2008 10:08 PM
I have used Documents to Go and SmartList to Go for years, through several generations of Palm handheld. As a Mac user, I've wanted to change to the IPhone platform since the first IPhones were released. I have deliberately not moved in that direction, however, because of the lack of third party applications, particularly the two mentioned above. Now that third party apps are sanctioned by Apple I am hoping to finally make the move, fully anticipating that DataViz will be developing Documents to Go- and SmartList to Go-type applications for the IPhone. I would be so very disappointed if these programs were not developed for the IPhone platform. I use these applications on a daily basis.
Thank you
Posted by: Phyllis Sommers | June 9, 2008 6:49 PM
I would love to see Docs To Go and Password Plus for the new iPhone2. I can't live without Passwords Plus. This is a simple yet amazing tool. Docs To Go is NEEDED for mobile users of MS Office.
Posted by: Jeffrey Greene | June 2, 2008 6:02 PM
I just switched to an iPhone after using a Treo for a number of years. The Treo was great but the iPhone so far is awesome.
I'm still looking for applications that will allow me to do some of the things I was used to doing with the Treo. One of them is Documents To Go. If Dataviz develops an iPhone version of that application I'm definitely going to be one of the first users...great product!
Posted by: Kevin W. Cornwell | May 22, 2008 11:02 PM
@ Geoff,
At this point, it's not a matter of 'when'. Developing Documents To Go for the Apple iPhone is an opportunity we're evaluating. The more feedback we hear asking for it, the more likely it'll happen.
Posted by: Jason | April 8, 2008 9:33 AM
When will documents to go be available for Iphone & were
Posted by: Geoff Watson | April 7, 2008 5:59 PM
I have the WIn mobile PDA and iphone and only thing keeping me switching to iphone is its lacking of Office aplications like word/excell edit and view. I do not know why apple created such a nice machine as a closed end, its great but I need the office mobile on my PDA. I do not want to go to HTC Touch so I am just waiting for such third party applications. Please some one make it...
Posted by: shahzad Aziz | April 1, 2008 1:25 PM
Please make documents to go for iphone. Missing the office plugins.
Posted by: Karel | February 25, 2008 4:10 AM
Documents to Go for iPhone will be a killer app! Maybe you could also get it to work with iPod touch to widen your market!
Posted by: Vip Malixi | December 28, 2007 9:35 PM
PLEASE, put Docs to go on the Iphone. My business isnt the same without it and I hate to go back to the PALM.
thanks!
Posted by: Jay Javetz | December 24, 2007 9:40 AM
I'm looking forward to seeing what Dataviz will do on the iPhone platform. I am one of those who have asked for Documents-to-Go on the iPhone.
Dataviz consistently provides the most polished and professional applications on other platforms, and I'm sure we will see the same on the iPhone. It presents a great opportunity for Dataviz to expand its market.
Now I just have to wait (somewhat) patiently.
Posted by: Peter Stelman | October 30, 2007 9:34 AM