Not true, at least not recently. With just an Apple ID (the same one I use for iTunes, etc.) I was able to download the iPhone SDK, look at tutorials, build app

Not true, at least not recently. With just an Apple ID (the same one I use for iTunes, etc.) I was able to download the iPhone SDK, look at tutorials, build apps and run them on the simulator. I haven't tried to put anything on an actual device, I don't have one yet, but the promised-in-the-future ad-hoc distribution should make that doable for me and my family.