4 ms·

it has been claimed many times that apple at one time said web apps were enough, and that no native app sdk was needed. i have yet to read any credible evidenc

it has been claimed many times that apple at one time said web apps were enough, and that no native app sdk was needed. i have yet to read any credible evidence supporting that claim. i think apple was simply holding off until they could make it good. a decent sdk for a whole new platform is no mean feat.

arrrg 18y ago
True, true. Apple just says nothing so everyone makes up whatever they want to. Now, you certainly cannot blame Apple for all those writing about them feeling like they know everything, but I would argue that there at least exist PR strategies that don’t make the tech press go crazy when writing about you. You would most likely have to give up some secrecy and drop a small hint here and there, but oddly enough, that is not what Apple decided to do. Seems risky to me, when you consider how much stupid rumors can influence their stock.
Timothee 18y ago
In the following press release, they don't literally say that "a native SDK is not needed" but I remember the keynote (WWDC 2007) and that's exactly the idea that Steve Jobs was trying to convey: http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/06/11iphone.html http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/06/11iphone.html I remember him being very excited about their great idea that "Web 2.0 applications" was the way to go. But yes it was clearly to keep developers happy (or to have an answer for developers at least) and create some activity around the phone until they could announce the SDK officially. The reaction at the time was pretty much "web apps? are you serious?!"
- allenbrunson 18y ago
  as a matter of fact, i attended wwdc07. i waited in line many hours and was in the audience when steve announced iphone web apps. i didn't get the impression then that steve was saying there'd never be a native sdk, and i don't get that now, reading the press release. in fact, i got the feeling that it was inevitable, from the vibe at the conference. apple doesn't talk about things that aren't available yet. some people interpret that as "secrecy." i'd call it "savvy marketing." why get people all riled up over something they can't have yet? and expose yourself to negative sentiment if it turns out you have to cancel the project for some reason? when steve lifts the veil on a new product, it's available for sale right there and then. all that early excitement he is so good at building translates into sales, rather than frustrated longing.

arrrg 18y ago

True, true. Apple just says nothing so everyone makes up whatever they want to. Now, you certainly cannot blame Apple for all those writing about them feeling like they know everything, but I would argue that there at least exist PR strategies that don’t make the tech press go crazy when writing about you. You would most likely have to give up some secrecy and drop a small hint here and there, but oddly enough, that is not what Apple decided to do. Seems risky to me, when you consider how much stupid rumors can influence their stock.

Timothee 18y ago

In the following press release, they don't literally say that "a native SDK is not needed" but I remember the keynote (WWDC 2007) and that's exactly the idea that Steve Jobs was trying to convey: http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/06/11iphone.html http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/06/11iphone.html I remember him being very excited about their great idea that "Web 2.0 applications" was the way to go. But yes it was clearly to keep developers happy (or to have an answer for developers at least) and create some activity around the phone until they could announce the SDK officially. The reaction at the time was pretty much "web apps? are you serious?!"

allenbrunson 18y ago
as a matter of fact, i attended wwdc07. i waited in line many hours and was in the audience when steve announced iphone web apps. i didn't get the impression then that steve was saying there'd never be a native sdk, and i don't get that now, reading the press release. in fact, i got the feeling that it was inevitable, from the vibe at the conference. apple doesn't talk about things that aren't available yet. some people interpret that as "secrecy." i'd call it "savvy marketing." why get people all riled up over something they can't have yet? and expose yourself to negative sentiment if it turns out you have to cancel the project for some reason? when steve lifts the veil on a new product, it's available for sale right there and then. all that early excitement he is so good at building translates into sales, rather than frustrated longing.