Filed under: Steve Jobs, iPhone
Jobs Confirms iPhone is a Closed Platform
Officially confirming what Dan reported earlier, Jobs told Newsweek (at the bottom) that the iPhone will indeed be a closed platform. He is quoted as saying: "You don't want your phone to be an open platform.... You need it to work when you need it to work. Cingular doesn't want to see their West Coast network go down because some application messed up."He also said something similar to the New York Times: "These are devices that need to work, and you can't do that if you load any software on them," he said. "That doesn't mean there's not going to be software to buy that you can load on them coming from us. It doesn't mean we have to write it all, but it means it has to be more of a controlled environment."
I think it's interesting that Jobs is sort of blaming Cingular for the restriction (though his scenario is obviously grossly hyperbolic). Of course this simply carries over the iPod model to the iPhone, so I guess it would probably have been the case even if Cingular hadn't insisted. It doesn't mean, however, that we can't be disappointed.
[Via iLounge via Digg and Thanks to Matt for the NYT tip]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Leonard Nimrod said 10:09PM on 1-11-2007
I think your readin too much into Jobs' words. Perhaps it would have better if he said, "Cingular WOULDN'T want to see their West Coast network go down because some application messed up."
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Eric said 10:15PM on 1-11-2007
Steve Jobs is talking buuu shxx again...
yet another steve job's piece of bs.
why don't u make mac os x a close platform?
why don't u make all installable software coming from download.apple.com only?
stupid.
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SubGenius said 10:26PM on 1-11-2007
Apple is launching a brand new platform. Bad press from crashing phones could easily sink its future. This is the right move.
the reason this isn't the case on desktop computers is because Windows has conditioned us to believe that software crashing and destroying your computer is normal. If you are running a mission critical server, you don't download software updates from Limewire. Apple wants to maintain quality and YES control of the platform. They are a business and have the right to. You as a consumer have the choice to take your business to another platform and take your risks.
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joe said 10:35PM on 1-11-2007
Just because you let people load 3rd party applications doesn't mean the phone is instantly going to become unstable. By limiting what the apps can do on the phone (such as making them stick to the widget paradigm or limiting what they can access in terms of other apps or hardware)
Palm, Blackberry, and Windows Mobile are all platforms that allow unsigned, 3rd party applications to be loaded and are not notoriously unstable and have been more or less widely successful. Steve shouldn't have compared the iPhone to those if it is not going to have the same capabilities. This is more a competitor to the Danger Sidekick than a RIM Blackberry, which is not necessarily a bad thing..to get an app on a Sidekick, it has to be signed by Danger, but Steve needs to be clear about what segment of the mobile phone market he is going after.
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Camilo Alvarez said 10:35PM on 1-11-2007
I think its a smart move, its no big deal... any software is made for the iPhone is made by apple... thats a way to secure that the iphone will work any time any where... ... its an ipod and a great phone ( not a smart phone) made by apple... for 500 dls... its a great deal.....
besides.... in 3 or 4 weeks some geek will find a way to install linux on it... an there... problem solved....
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chumsdock said 10:50PM on 1-11-2007
I believe it will be like the iPod games,
Apps can be download and purchased via iTunes store,
There will be some games,
there will be some free widgets,
there will be something like skype, comic-life, dictionary and so on.
That'll also be acceptable, we demand 3rd apps just need more functions to work, rather than hack it like a computer.
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USTommyMC said 10:51PM on 1-11-2007
I love how people are quick to judge without thinking. Steve Jobs has a good point in what he is saying. I say this from experience with a Windows Mobile phone. I have never had to reboot a cell phone until I got the SDA from T-Mobile. I go crazy installing all sorts of apps to get extra functions and abilities only to have the phone freeze up and crash. The last thing I need is for me to install some third party app or hack to have my phone do something extra. Apple is right to make this phone closed and save me from me. Will I get the iPhone eventually? Heck freaking yes, because I'm tired of buying "The Missing Sync" for phones that don't properly integrate with OS X. The iPhone will be an extension of my Macbook Pro and thats all I need. Freedom is one thing but stabiliy is preferred.
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Matt said 11:02PM on 1-11-2007
I think Steve Jobs has a point, and I think some people will buy the iPhone. That person won't be me, however.
Look at all the great third-party developers and applications on the Macintosh--made by small, independent developers. Those are a big part of what make the Macintosh great for me.
Those apps will NOT be on the iPhone--and that's a big loss.
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zeebs said 11:41PM on 1-11-2007
Ya, the closed platform thing is a bummer. I think the reasons for it are as #9 says, Cingular doesn't want you using Skype/ichat/adium. Also I bet you'll be able to d/l apps from Cingular for $$$$, rather than loading what you want. And I think it IS interesting, that Treos can load tons of Palm OS shareware/freeware and the carrier doesn't freak out that a rogue treo will knock out the west coast network.... crappy excuses for just being controlling and money-grubbing... I'll wait for a non-cell version of the Iphone, so that I can do skype and ichat... if one comes...
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arkowi said 11:56PM on 1-11-2007
Obviously, i would like to see 3rd party software for the phone...however...the best phone i have ever used was a T-Mobile Sidekick(Danger Hiptop), I had one back in 2002 when they still had grayscale screens and were HUGE. You could not install apps on it, but it had instant messenger, web, email, and a shitty camera ATTACHMENT! and it was still better than any phone I have used to this day because it was very Apple-like in the way that it "just worked".
I have had a Palm and Symbian phone since then...sure you could install apps on them...most of them i messed with were to play MP3's and watch video...the iPhone can do this right off the bat...and way better than those phones did. The other apps I installed were usually things I played with once or twice and never looked at again. getting these apps to work was usually a pain in the ass and worthless which is why with my last phone I just went back to a regular (not smart)phone.
Outside of the ability to look at Word and PDF files I would say right now the iPhone has everything I need...Thats just me though.
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infinitespecter said 12:12AM on 1-12-2007
That is a complete BS reason. He would have more of a leg to stand on if Cingular and every other provider didn't offer phones such as the Treo, Blackjack, and Motorola Q that all can install applications without "taking down the West Coast".
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Tom said 12:36AM on 1-12-2007
He's lying about the whole "take down the West Coast" thing - the networks have crazy amounts of software and hardware in place to prevent this from happening. A 'rouge' phone can be automatically locked out of the network within seconds - it certainly isn't a problem for Palm, Windows and Blackberry-based devices.
This is all about Apple knowing you better than you know yourself. Think you want VoIP on your phone? Silly child - just use Cingular's network for your calls. iChat on your phone? Who'd want that? Productivity applications? Nobody needs those.
And so on.
Despite Steve using the term "smartphone" a dozen times in his speech, this device is anything but. Sometimes it's hard to be an Apple fan...
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pixelslut said 12:46AM on 1-12-2007
I think SJ and Apple value 3rd party developers. They give me no reason to think that they do not so its silly to say this is to spite them or simply because they think closed is jsut better. There is probably a set of key factors in this decision that realte to things we arent privy like the products roadmap, the contract cingular (i do doubt it has anything to do with tech and more with $$$)and any number of other things.
Still though, im uber disapointed. Because i dont care about most of the things theyve included on the phone initially. I dont care about a cmera. I dont care about video. I dont care about music. What i do care about are a pdf viewer, an MS Office viewer, BASH, SSH, SFTP, SCP, a WebDAV client, LDAP/OpenDirectory support Contacts/PhoneBook, and CalDAV support for Calender/Tasks. But day by day those hopes are diminishing.
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jared said 1:16AM on 1-12-2007
Dumb users installing bad 3rd party apps is no reason to close the platform. "These are devices that need to work, and you can't do that if you load any software on them"? I call BS. If that was the case, they wouldn't let you install 3rd party apps on your laptops... You need them to work, as well.
#7, no offense, but your comment is ridiculous. Why should I get features taken away from me because you're inept?
"That doesn't mean there's not going to be software to buy that you can load on them coming from us."
That's the key right there. There will be software we can *buy* from them. If this was Microsoft, people would be all over them.
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Marco F. said 2:17AM on 1-12-2007
Actually, there is some truth in what he says. however, the iPhone should have "everything people need" if this will be the case. If I look at my phone now, with all the downloaded crap I never use, but thought was good, I'd rather have a closed system which works very well. and I think that there will be extra software downloadable, but that will probably be from Apple Inc and/or authorised 3rd parties.
Personally, I prefer this approach.
of course, Jobs is overestimating the effect of a little application on your terminal. I must see the first app that brings a network down... I work in telco, so I know this is not something that can be done easily :)
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jordan said 2:35AM on 1-12-2007
re-tard
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Gar said 3:30AM on 1-12-2007
Steve would rather we didn't chew up the limited internal memory with apps that they didn't profit from. You can install anything you want as long it is something Apple sold you - music, video, itunes games. It makes perfect business sense. But, with so many other 'smart' phones on the market that allow software installs, this limites the buyers to fans, consumers wanting limited multimedia, and those looking for a very cool UI. Actual 'users' will look elseware in a short amount of time as they need the 'multimedia' phone in their pocket to do more than eye candy, they need to be productive.
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tre said 3:55AM on 1-12-2007
The talk about Cingulars network going down is really just bs.
There are probably enough smartphones out already.
Do they take down any networks?
No, no matter what crappy piece of software you're gonna install.
Apple introduces a 3rd platform besides the iPod and the Mac.
And just as they do with the iPod (Content) and the Mac (iLife, iWork, .Mac Pro Apps - why buy Logic? Why develop Aperture?) they want to sell as much software and services as they can.
It's just part of Apple's business model.
There will be a selection of ringtones, office applications and games for the iPhone. All conveniently available on your iTunes Store next door.
Apple exerts control over how software can be loaded on the device. Maybe even some 3rd-party apps will be available. But then, charging 3rd party developers a distribution/license fee seems just like a logical step for Apple to take...
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NKHK said 4:41AM on 1-12-2007
I think it's a good move, at least to start with.
By preventing 3rd party apps, they can at least take full blame for anything that goes wrong, and can avoid the scenario where some bored developers / hackers create and propogate viruses (this seesm to be the perfect device in which to wreak havoc in that way).
If you want a phone that can run 3rd party apps then go and buy one.
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swissfondue said 5:43AM on 1-12-2007
The launch is still 6 months away, so much is still speculative. But consider that the iPhone is mainly software. So you could easily get a version 2.0 of the software, or a compatibility upgrade when a new Mac OS X version is available, that might break existing third party apps. Apple now only has to worry about compatibility with its own iPhone apps. They have control over this.
As Steve said, the most important is to maintain a functioning phone, so they want more control over what gets loaded onto the iPhone.
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