Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ post iPhone Event Q&A
Thursday, March 06, 2008 - 03:23 PM ESTFollowing Apple's iPhone Software Roadmap Event this morning, Apple CEO Steve Jobs, Senior VP of Worldwide Product Marketing Phil Schiller, and Vice President of iPhone Software Scott Forstall held a Q&A session:
• For what is the $100 million iFund intended? Investment in young, innovative developers and to help promote the iPhone ecosystem.
• Should RIM be worried? Jobs, "You should ask them." Phil Schiller says this is about listening to customers and trying to serve their needs.
• What about security? Jobs: It's a dangerous world out there. A big concern. On one side a closed device like the iPod which always works; you pick it up, it always works. On the other side, a Windows PC; people spend a lot of time every day getting back up to where it's usable. We want best of both, reliability of the iPod, but with ability to run third-party apps. Registered developers get a electronic certificate, so if the write a malicious app, we can track them down, and tell their parents. (laughter) We’re putting some controls, some we’re talking about today. and others that we’ll keep to ourselves for now. Scott Forstall, who runs iPhone software at Apple, says they can protect people.
• What about a VoIP application? Jobs says Apple will only limit VoIP over the cell network, but will allow such apps over WiFi. So, VoIP over WiFi is a go!
• Multiple sync? Yes. Multiple accounts, calendars, contact databases, but one Exchange account at a time, though.
• What if dev. doesn't want to distribute through Apple's App Store? Jobs: Then they won’t be able to distribute their app to the iPhone. “We think this will be a boon to developers, there is no other method to get apps in front of all every iPhone user.” Apple doesn't plan to make money with the App Store.
• Would SIM unlocking software be an example of software not allowed to be sold via App Store? Jobs says "Yes." (laughter).
• Update fee for the iPod touch upgrade: Jobs says Apple will set the fee in June. “We don’t look at this as a profit opportunity." It's necessary for accounting purposes.
• Can IT convert easily from Blackberry to iPhone? Schiller: Yes, it uses ActiveSync and it's actually less service to manage and easier to use. Apple will provide tools for IT managers to use to configure devices and enable easy automation of the process. Jobs wonders why CIOs aren’t more worried about Blackberry security with all of their messages going through single Canadian NOC (Network Operations Center). "Nobody seems to be focused on that. We certainly are. We think that a direct connection could be a little more secure." (Related article: Massive Blackberry outage affects all of North America; iPhone users unaffected - February 11, 2008)
• Is this software an international roll out? Yes, in all countries where Apple sells iPhones. Not an open source project, even though it's a free update. It is a for-profit project.
• WiMax, other connections? We are not here to talk hardware today. Today is about software.
• What about distribution of internal apps in an enterprise? Schiller says working on method. Will have a program of delivery specifically for their end users.
• Will IT organizations have ability to disable certain functions - such as downloads from App Store? Jobs says, “I hope we have that problem.” Forstall says there are parental controls in iPhone 2.0, so you can turn off Safari or other apps, on the iPhone. This could be used for enterprise as well.
• Carrier relationships and their involvement with Apps Store? Jobs says "We have great relationships with our carriers. We struck a new kind of relationship where Apple is responsible on the phone. We define the software on the phone. We run the developer program, We're distributing the apps. This is our program, and we’re running it."
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Related article:
Apple announces iPhone 2.0 Software Beta; Includes SDK, built-in Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync - March 06, 2008
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"On the other side, a Windows PC, people spend a lot of time every day getting back up to where it's usable."
Instant classic line.