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Over 100,000 developers snap up iPhone SDK

Apple announced that 100,000 developers have downloaded a copy of the beta iPhone software development kit, and hinted at future types of applications to come.

Tom Krazit Former Staff writer, CNET News
Tom Krazit writes about the ever-expanding world of Google, as the most prominent company on the Internet defends its search juggernaut while expanding into nearly anything it thinks possible. He has previously written about Apple, the traditional PC industry, and chip companies. E-mail Tom.
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Tom Krazit
2 min read

Despite some early problems managing the flood of developers seeking access to the iPhone software development kit, Apple reported 100,000 developers have downloaded the kit as of Sunday.

Apple formally released the iPhone SDK after an event at its Cupertino, Calif., headquarters last Thursday. The SDK will allow third-party developers to create games, business software, and other types of applications for the iPhone with Apple's official blessing.

Apple recorded over 100,000 downloads of the iPhone SDK by developers hoping to build applications like EA's Spore. Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks

Several would-be iPhone developers reported problems actually getting a copy of the SDK in their hands during the first day or so it became available. Over the weekend, Apple sent registered developers an e-mail acknowledging, "You may have recently experienced difficulty gaining access to, or downloading the iPhone SDK." But that traffic jam seems to have cleared itself up as the initial frenzy died down.

In Wednesday's press release, Apple included quotes from a number of third-party developers that give a pretty clear signal of what types of applications are already in development.

Intuit (TurboTax), Namco Networks (Pac-Man and Galaga), NetSuite (ERP/CRM software), and Six Apart (blogging software) are a few of the companies whose PR departments graciously worked up executive quotes for Apple's announcement. During the event, AOL, Sega, EA, Epocrates, and Salesforce.com showed off preliminary versions of their iPhone applications.

If you haven't downloaded a copy of the SDK yet, here's where you can find it. The beta version of the SDK is free to download, but if you want to release applications based on the SDK you'll have to join Apple's iPhone Developer Program for $99 a year.