Recently we were sent a PR email about an iPhone app called BdEmailer. No big deal, press releases about new iPhone applications show up in our box in large bundles every day -- but this one was different. According to the release, the program is the "the first wide email iPhone app that supports client SMTP." That means, in essence, that it duplicates an exact function of Apple's Mail application on the iPhone and touch. That's kind of a huge deal, because up until this point we've been led to believe that this duplication of functionality is one of the company's red flags when it comes to approval. Now mind you, we're not complaining. The idea of having more apps to choose from for doing things like sending email is a great idea, but Apple... what the hell is going on? You refused MailWrangler and Podcaster for similar reasons, yet BdEmailer passes through your review process, SMTP functionality intact? This means one of two things as far as we can tell -- either you've relaxed your policies on duplicate functionality, or you've gotten incredibly lazy when it comes to approving applications. We're inclined to believe it's the latter, as BdEmailer has a fair share of bugs that need working out, but really, people need some clarification here on what will and won't pass -- and moving the goalpost all the time isn't going to help.

Palm already did the deed by partnering with DeviceAnywhere in opening its Virtual Developer Lab, and now it looks as if RIM's doing the same for its BlackBerry lineup. The Waterloo-based handset maker has joined hands with the aforementioned testing outfit in order to let "outside developers test their applications on a single system that represents 100 BlackBerry models running on 16 networks." We're also told that RIM is currently working with 100,000 developers to "create applications for such uses as gaming and navigation that link customers more tightly to their devices," which shouldn't come as any surprise given the pressure from Apple and Google. There's no word on when the virtual dev facility will open its doors, but we'd bank on it being sometime between "now" and "real soon."

Being that the T-Mobile G1 launched officially today in the US of A, it makes sense that the phone's marketplace for applications would open its doors as well. A recent post over at the Android Developers Blog has affirmed that users can now indulge in over 50 apps, and moreover, it has laid out details surrounding the process for getting your own app in there. Beginning on Monday, prospective devs will be forced to "register and pay a one time $25 application fee" in order to ensure that they're "authenticated and responsible for their apps." After that, the programs will be "made available to users without further validation or approval." Starting in Q1, developers will be able to distribute paid apps in addition to free apps, and similar to Apple's revenue model, devs will get 70% of the revenue, though it should be noted that Google won't be taking a percentage of the remainder; apparently, it all goes to settling bills with the carriers (T-Mobile's really insistent about getting some dues for app bandwidth usage, isn't it?) and payment processing systems. Go at it, you eager developer you -- we fully expect a gratis app showing off your handiwork to emerge on the 27th.

Big surprise here and all, but we hear RIM is actually thinking of crafting an App Store of its own in order to not get lapped by the likes of Apple and Google. Made official today was Research In Motion's plans to introduce a pair of "major distribution initiatives" for BlackBerry applications: the BlackBerry Application Storefront and the BlackBerry Application Center. The former is slated to launch in March 2009 (translation: forever from now), though developers can begin submitting their apps and content beginning in December. Similar to Apple's initiative, RIM will give devs the ability to set prices and retain 80% of all revenue from sales, and it will be giving the rest of the dough to working with PayPal for transactions. Of course, enterprise admins can still maintain control over what apps can be downloaded onto company phones, but you know you can sweet talk the boss into relaxing some of those restrictions. The Application Center is a carrier-customized, on-device tool for providers to host specific programs for customers. Details on deployment (and more importantly, app screening) are all but nil, but considering we've got until March before we can even use the Storefront, we can wait. Angrily.

[Via phonescoop]

At this point, you're probably wondering what section of the Storm's UI you haven't seen. Enter a few new sneak peeks, this time showcasing the purported BlackBerry Application Center. Granted, these shots are from the Vodafone edition, but we don't suspect the Verizon version will look much different. Reportedly, the Application Center will be available on v4.7 Storm devices, and carriers themselves will be responsible for hosting the data and sending updates; additionally, the download / installation will be handled by the browser in the first release, meaning that the software cannot restart the app or download intelligently. Give the read link a look for a few more tidbits / pictures.

According to iPhone Atlas and iPhone hacker-extraordinaire Jonathan Zdziarski, Apple has readied a blacklisting system which allows the company to remotely disable applications on your device. Apparently, the new 2.x firmware contains a URL which points to a page containing a list of "unauthorized" apps -- a move which suggests that the device makes occasional contact with Apple's servers to see if anything is amiss on your phone. In Jonathan's words:

"This suggests that the iPhone calls home once in a while to find out what applications it should turn off. At the moment, no apps have been blacklisted, but by all appearances, this has been added to disable applications that the user has already downloaded and paid for, if Apple so chooses to shut them down.

I discovered this doing a forensic examination of an iPhone 3G. It appears to be tucked away in a configuration file deep inside CoreLocation."

Now honestly, we don't expect the folks in Cupertino to suddenly start turning off apps that you've paid for and downloaded, but if Apple is indeed monitoring iPhones or touches (even passively) for applications it doesn't want or like, it signals a problem deeper than a company simply wanting to sign-off on software for the device. Even on platforms like Symbian -- which calls for apps to be signed and traceable -- the suggestion that a process of the OS would actively monitor, report on, and possibly deactivate your device's software is unreasonable, and clearly presents an issue that the company will have to deal with sooner or later. Oh, and Apple -- we're not going to buy the "for your security" angle, so don't even bother.

[Via Mac Rumors]

Read - iPhone can phone home and kill apps?
Read - Apple's URL with "unauthorized applications" string

Mom-and-pop shops and giant corporations are clearly still trying to wrap their heads around the iPhone SDK, probe its capabilities and limitations, and figure out just what kinds of apps to bring to the table, and Microsoft is no exception. The company maintains a fairly active Mac development division -- a bit of a redheaded stepchild for the company, but a profitable one at that -- so it totally makes sense that they'd want to bring the iPhone into the fold from that angle. Indeed, the head of Microsoft's Specialized Devices and Applications Group (of which the Mac fiends are a part) have assigned a small handful of engineers to figuring out how, if at all, they can add value to Apple's talkabout; some sort of Office extension is an obvious one, but recent acquisition TellMe is also looking into whether it can shoehorn any voice recognition goodies on there as well. The strange bit, of course, is that this flies in the face of Microsoft's own Windows Mobile, which itself could use all the engineering help it can get to roll out its long-promised killer revamp as quickly as possible; then again, Office Mac is itself an affront to Windows, so maybe it's business as usual in Redmond.

[Via iLounge]

The well known and respected iPhone hacker Nate True has discovered some very, very interesting information concerning Apple's latest update, 1.1.3. According to Mr. True, the boys and girls in Cupertino have all but prepped the device's OS for native applications, altering the functionality of SpringBoard to display additional apps, changing the ownership of applications to a unified "mobile" user, and moving the location of preferences to the accompanying non-root directory. Additionally, SpringBoard now boasts widget support via a class called SBWidgetApplication. All of these technical and seemingly minor details will apparently make it easier for developers to create new applications for the phone, though Nate says they'll also break existing native apps in the process. All we ask is that developers get those NES and SNES emulators ported quickly and safely to the new system.

This one might only be interesting to the musicians out there, but anyone's who's ever struggled to control Pro Tools while trying to lay down tracks will definitely be interested in Alex le Lievre's slick iPhone / iPod touch control surface app. The utility connects over WiFi to a server program and MIDI controller on your audio workstation, and allows you to remotely control Pro Tools using the iPhone's multitouch interface, all while reflecting levels and automated fades in real time. Alex says he plans to sell the app once the official SDK hits in February -- here's hoping his target audience doesn't mind all that GSM noise the iPhone generates. Check a vid of the app in action after the break.

Well, would you look at that. Apple apparently wants third party applications on the iPhone and iPod touch just like every other sane individual on the planet. The company just announced on its Hot News feed (and we'd say this certainly qualifies as such), that it is currently at work on an SDK for the iPhone, the apps from which will naturally work on the iPod touch. Apparently it's going to take 'em until February to do it up right -- you know, secure and stable and all that nonsense -- but this is certainly a beautiful breath of fresh air. Less excitingly, Apple claims that it agrees with Nokia's approach of "digital signatures" for applications, meaning that Apple gets to say who qualifies for entrance onto its hallowed devices as was rumored last week; though who's to say what exactly that will look like just yet. But even with that caveat, we suppose we should take what we get from this sometimes benevolent, but never aesthetically challenged, dictator of ours and eat it like we're told.

[Thanks, Dennis S.]

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Folks hoping that Apple would be so kind as to allow developers to craft their own 3rd party applications and have Cupertino accept 'em with open arms can now commence sulking, as a new WebApps directory unveiled today by Apple is nothing more than a dressed up version of Apple's bookmark list. Essentially, Apple has neatly brought together a selection of company-approved apps (listed here) that should function fine in Safari, but alas, there's absolutely no new functionality. So although iPod touch / iPhone users now have a central hub to go to for links to web applets, Apple is still leaving us high and dry when it comes to native 3rd party application support outside of its browser.

The iPhone isn't the only handset whose software innards are getting lovingly torn apart in the name of science this week. It turns out some intrepid users of the Helio Ocean (a device occasionally compared to the iPhone, coincidentally) have been slaving away on a method for adding extra applications outside of the carrier's walled garden. Their first success is a doozy, too: Opera Mini 3, one of the most prized jewels in the world of mobile software. The developers aren't claiming it's bug-free -- landscape mode and the QWERTY keyboard don't work, for example -- but it's a huge step in the right direction and they're continuing to work out the kinks. More custom apps are said to be on the way, and don't worry, Drift and Heat users -- support's said to be on the way for you guys, too.

As expected, Apple used WWDC as the stage to announce a third-party development solution for the iPhone, putting to rest fears that the handset would be a closed (read: non-smartphone) platform. Calling it a "sweet solution" for allowing devs to get their wares onto iPhones across the globe without sacrificing stability or security, Apple is using its full Safari-based browser to let folks code up true, Web 2.0-compatible apps that can be accessed and updated on developers' own servers. Though any apps that third-party developers put together will run under Safari, they'll be totally customizable and maintain the platform's unique look and feel. Better yet, they won't require any special SDK -- Jobs claims that a working knowledge of modern web standards is all we'll need to code up custom iPhone goodies to our hearts' content.

While the whole Cobalt-that-never-was / Access buyout has all been sort of a blur over the past few years, the one thing that remained constant was the aging of Palm's current OS and the inability to sufficiently replace it. While we've seen ALP prototypes and more recently, Palm licensing Garnet source code from ACCESS, an interesting series of interviews over at PocketFactory asks developers to throw in their $.02 in regard to the debacle, and overall, responses weren't entirely shocking. The CEO of mobile game developer Astraware felt the need was still there to continue supporting Palm, if for nothing more than to take advantage of its relatively impressive installed user base, but it was no secret that he was more excited about a Linux-based possibility. Moreover, both the COO of iambic, Inc. and Stuart Dewar from Pimlico Software stressed that Palm's situation is nothing short of dire; with Windows Mobile 5 devices selling by the truckload (and not suffering OS battles all the while), it's giving developers less reason to focus their efforts on Palm applications. Additionally, building WinMo apps that could easily be ported to a Linux platform is becoming the most attractive option, which eventually leaves Palm trailing in the dust. Nevertheless, it's hard to deny to depth and breadth of Palm's marketshare, but be sure to hit the read link for the full skinny on just how developers feel about using their efforts to create Palm-friendly programs.