Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Internet, iTunes, Apple, iPhone, App Store
Five ways the App Store will change the world
There are historic days, people. The App Store went live, and all of a sudden, we're drowning in new things for the iPhone. But it's not just a big deal for iPhone owners -- this is a huge day for society and technology in general. While there have been lots of PDAs, and lots of apps to run on them, there's never been anything like the App Store before -- here's five ways that Apple's platform for iPhone application distribution will change our world.1. Ubiquitous computing.
Any science fiction writer will tell you that we're already living the future -- we can teleport things, robots are easy to make, and almost anything dreamed of can be done if you have enough money to do it. But a technology really doesn't move from fantasy to reality until it's everywhere, and thanks to the iPhone 3G, computing has become just that. You can't take a laptop around with you all the time (as in, to a fancy restaurant or to the movies) to edit photos or post to your blog, but you can bring the iPhone. It's the ultimate ultramobile platform, and it's now cheap enough to be everywhere, and powerful enough that almost any common computing task can be done.
Four more huge changes after the jump.
2. Connectivity.
This will only get better, of course, but 3G is a nice step forward, and as Apple showed us, every app on the iPhone can stay in touch and stay connected. And the mere fact that we now have the Internet (not a mobile form of it, the actual Internet) in our pockets at all times has already changed our world. Everyone who owns an iPhone has had "an iPhone moment" already -- just the other day, the bartender couldn't remember how to make a drink my friend wanted to order, so I looked it up and immediately had the recipe. That's what constant connectivity means -- it's been possible before, but the iPhone makes knowing anything the Internet knows in minutes really easy, and applications that stay connected make it even easier.
(Unless it's in Flash, of course, but we'll get there.)
3. Location awareness.
Until now, consumer GPS has been for cars and geocachers. But no more -- every iPhone 3G knows exactly where it is, and any app in the App Store can make use of that information. That opens up all kinds of new ways to use that data, most of which we haven't even thought of yet. Mobile computing is fun, but mobile computing that already knows where it is makes a lot more possible, and not only will that mean we'll see amazing implementations on the iPhone (games that keep track of other players in the real world, or apps that can track your daily movement), but we'll see other mobile platforms push for location awareness as well.
4. Development and distribution.
Think of the way the iTunes music store has changed music sales. That's potentially what the App Store will do to application sales and distribution. There are still other channels, of course, as there always should be. But as a clearinghouse for cheap applications from almost anyone, delivered directly to the hardware itself, the App Store is a dream, both for people selling software, and people using it. Of course, we don't know yet what the future will hold, and we're still not 100% clear about how applications get approved and listed on the store. But if Apple keeps it as open as possible and lets developers stay at their best, it'll potentially be a model for all kinds of software distribution, mobile or otherwise.
5. User interface and controls.
Remember the hubbub when you saw your first multitouch demo? There is now a $199 multitouch device on the market, and it happens to be portable, attached to an accelerometer, a microphone and speaker, and a camera. Already, Apple has brought multitouch improvements back to the Mac and this is only the beginning -- there's no doubt at all that "killer app" multitouch applications on the iPhone will make hardware manufacturers everywhere push to enable the same abilities on their devices. The first generation of iPhone software, that we've seen today, is more or less remakes of the old generation of mobile applications -- old utilities pushed into a new interface. But in the coming months, we'll see these innovative controls used in more interesting and incredible ways than we can even imagine.
On the face of it, the App Store brings a lot of things that already existed together -- we've already had smartphones and PDAs, and applications like those on the App Store to run on them. There have already been distribution platforms, like Steam and Xbox Live, to provide a developer to customer solution. And of course the Internet has been mobile for a few years now. But what Apple's done here has combined all of the innovations that have come before, and turned them into a streamlined, easy process, from moment of development to end-user sale. The way this software is sold and works on the iPhone 3G will undoubtedly change computing as we know it.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Murphy Mac said 8:09AM on 7-11-2008
You're right: This is huge.
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John Brissenden said 8:12AM on 7-11-2008
"Streamlined, easy process"? Are you kidding? So far the rollout of iPhone 3G, iPhone 2.0 software and MobileMe has been a total mess. Like most people, I'm sitting here with a bunch of iPhone apps, a 1G iPhone, and no way to get the former working on the latter. Stores in the UK have been reduced to signing up 3G customers with pen and paper because O2's system doesn't like Safari. Apple discussion forums are suggesting the 2.0 software has been held back until tomorrow afternoon while engineers work on a number of reported bugs.
Your article may be true, but it's very badly timed. Right now we're more interested in what's going on with the worst Apple product launch I can remember!
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Stephen Barr said 8:19AM on 7-11-2008
Here Here!
Why the heck does apple lock us in to these mobile carriers - the whole launch is verging into monty python territory.
Shambles.
O2 should hang their head in shame - what a bunch of muppets.
John Kirk said 9:43AM on 7-11-2008
What a whiner. When you look at the scope of what Apple is doing it's amazing how smoothly it is going. Get some perspective and try to appreciate what today will mean for today and the rest of your life instead of obsessing on the the temporary setbacks your suffering today.
Jack said 11:37AM on 7-11-2008
It's so "streamlined" here in Glasgow that they're not even selling iPhones at the Apple store because the registration system has been down since 8am. I had to leave my name, number and desired model so they could call me back "in the next couple of days".
hdstudio said 8:13AM on 7-11-2008
Come on Apple...post the effin firmware update so we can "change the world" already!!!!!
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LEon said 8:18AM on 7-11-2008
This is a scam.
I am trying to throw money at them to get the 2.0 Software update for my iPod but they won't let me! Crap!
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Jash Sayani said 8:25AM on 7-11-2008
First thing they need todo is wave off the registration fee. They already get 30% of the money of apps !!!
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iBearTouch said 8:26AM on 7-11-2008
It is NOT a scam... they said July 11th. Is it July 12th yet? In 2 hrs it will be July 12th in Australia... when it is July 12th everywhere and there is no 2.0 software update, then it is a scam.
I am as impatient as anyone, but I am sure it will come today...have faith! LOL
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AJB said 8:27AM on 7-11-2008
Who the crap needs to update a blog or edit photos at a restaurant or the movies? If you find yourself in this position, you lead a sad and lonely life.
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Ondra Soukup said 8:44AM on 7-11-2008
true, i find myself only tweeting when I get back home, reading the mess that landed in my RSS reader and Mail after being all day out. i never tweet when I'm with somebody...I defeat the purpose, I know...
now I should blog and edit photos ? eeerh, nothanks, got life...
John Kirk said 9:49AM on 7-11-2008
Yeah, yeah, that's what they said about the first walkman's too. Removed the "social experience". How about I get to define what my happiness is and having options to do what I want to do makes me happy. Being trapped somewhere, bored, with nothing to do - now that makes me sad and unhappy.
LEon said 8:34AM on 7-11-2008
Well, it tells me that 2.0 is available and if I click "More Info" it tells me the Store is down.
Not a scam?
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Eric Ruiz said 8:42AM on 7-11-2008
Not a scam; I'm downloading it right now and its already backing up my iPhone for me.
Noel said 8:33AM on 7-11-2008
@ John Brissenden
common, take it easy. The "process" of buying an App und install and uninstall it on the iPhone ist unprecedented. Also, whats wrong with a "product launch" that has not been launched yet? I think you would be the first to cry "Oh. iPhone 2.0 is buggy" when they'd release it with bugs. Instead, they fix them in the last minute and way. And after all, its still the 11. of july, isn't it? They are not even late by now. Tomorrow they will be, but hey, whats that compared to being 2 years late as other companies do, or never realeasing what they promised? Okey, me.com has a little hickup, but thats a huge relaunch. Have you ever migrated an entire IT-System large as .mac and me.com? No? Ah, thought so...
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Eric Ruiz said 8:32AM on 7-11-2008
iPhone 2.0 Update is available through iTunes NOW!!
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LEon said 8:34AM on 7-11-2008
Hm, now it's telling me my Software is up to date again.
They really need to get a grip on their server infrastructure, as well as the Apple Store Servers that have to be down for maintainance...
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FutureMAN said 8:46AM on 7-11-2008
Edit photos or post to a blog while at the movies?
That's worse than teenagers texting during a movie...and then giggling endlessly.
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Patrixck said 8:42AM on 7-11-2008
now if only i could download the friggin update that would allow me to test this stuff out on the touch. anybody else getting the "itunes store is unavailable" whenever they click on the update link from apple's touch page? grrrrrrrrr....
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hugmup said 8:46AM on 7-11-2008
There was a Simpsons episode in which Moe made his bar into a family restaurant. He bought a deep-fryer from the military. He said, "This baby can deep-fry an ox in 20 seconds." Homer whined, "But I want it now!"
You guys remind me of that. I can understand that when you open your presents on Christmas morning and find an IOU for tomorrow, you could get a little cranky. Think: This must be very embarrassing for Apple, someone in Cupertino has learned a new and more colorful vocabulary, has not slept in two days, and is overcome with dread about his next performance review. Meanwhile, Apple has held its own feet to the fire.
I'm impatient too. Do what I do: drink a glass of water, take a walk around the block, breathe into a paper bag, and take a nap. It will all be okay very soon.
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