It's confirmed, folks, Apple will provide a proper developer kit to allow companies to create applications for the iPhone and the iPod touch. It'd due to arrive in February, so hopefully we should be able to report some progress in January when MacFormat attends Macworld Expo San Francisco. Here's what Jobs had to say about the news:

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]

Run Windows and OS X side by side on a new MacBook, courtesy of MacFormat

This month, MacFormat has teamed up with Parallels to offer a fantastic prize for one lucky reader: a copy of the world-beating Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac and a MacBook to run it on.

For more information, and to enter the competition, click here.

iLife '08 masterclass

We have 20 packed pages on Apple's amazing iLife '08 suite, offering you tips and advice on getting the most from the apps and your Mac.

Each of the five programs has a section of the feature dedicated to it. If you're an iLife old-hand, you can see how this new version differs from iLife '06; if you've never used the suite before, you'll get to see how versatile and easy it is to use.

After you've exhausted yourself with all the iLife tips, why not take a coffee break while reading our interview with rock legend, Peter Gabriel, who tells us all about his love of Macs and his music software, The Filter.

If you have an old Mac sat around gathering dust, our feature, 'Ten things to do with an old Mac,' has some great ideas on how to find a new use for it.

Also this issue

Tutorials

Use Camera RAW
Master syncing in iTunes
Use Markers in Final Cut Express
Get cheaper, better printing
Get started with Numbers
And more…

Reviews
The new Apple iPod range
Canon EOS40D
Elgato EyeTV 250 Plus
Roxio Popcorn 3
MacAce.net MacMate
And more…

Mac questions answered
Upgrading an eMac for more power, fixing video iChat, router reboot frustrations, advice for a hesitant switcher and more…

On the DVD
Three full programs: Osk 4.3, Color Pilot 2.21, DocHaven 1.0.8, shareware, games trials, hot demos and more…

It’s all in MacFormat issue 188, on sale now!

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