Apple iPhone SDK Includes Limitations

Last week was a huge week for the iPhone. In case you missed it, Apple announced new features that will be implemented for last year’s big Apple release, including support for Microsoft Exchange, push e-mail support, and higher speed wireless internet connectivity. On top of those corporate user aimed features, Apple also released the iPhone SDK for third party developers, finally allowing more than just Apple developed applications for the iPhone.

At first the SDK appeared to be a great thing. After all, EA managed to take the easy to use tools and develop a functional version of Spore in just two weeks. That’s right, iPhone users will have access to Spore if the game ever comes out.

Now that the gleam has faded from the initial roll-out, some of the less desirable facets of the SDK are coming to light. Daily Tech reports on the biggest of the limitations Apple has placed on third party developers – only one third party application can be run at a time. When users shift away from the application it won’t operate in the background, like users have gotten used to from Apple’s iPhone apps. Instead they will close out completely.

So why the limitation? The popular guess is that Apple is maintaining their system performance by making sure users can’t overload the iPhone’s processor and memory. Users can’t complain of the system being overworked if they aren’t allowed to run more than the iPhone was originally planned to handle.

If that’s the case, it’s a clever move from Apple, but one that will no doubt draw more flack for the company that has already locked users into how many phones they could buy and what provider they have to use their iPhone with. It’s another step where the manufacturer is telling the owner of the product how they must use their purchase. It’s starting to get a bit tiresome to hear Apple doing this. Sooner or later they’re going to have to let the responsibility of using Apple products fall into the hands of the users, instead of micromanaging how consumers can use their product.