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Are Devices Starting to Drive the Mobile Broadband Equation?
News of the release of a software developer's kit for the iPhone prompts speculation about the future role of devices in driving mobile broadband wireless.
An article in the MIT Technology Review reports on the release of a third party software developer's kit for the iPhone by Apple. Not withstanding the fact that the iPhone, at least in the US, is solely the province of GSM based AT&T wireless, the new developer's kit for this device renews speculation as to whether or not we have finally reached the point where devices and device applications can begin driving the mobile broadband wireless industry.
AT&T has previously said it was surprised by the amount of bandwidth, and in particular, video bandwidth that iPhone users consumed. Certainly the iPhone has received kudos for its easy to use interface. Can it be that the public simply needed an application interface simple and clean enough to allow it to do more? An argument can clearly be made that this is so. And this raises the question of how important devices will be to the success of WiMAX mobile deployments as well.
Clearly this new SDK will allow third party developers to build solid additional software applications for the iPhone, some of which may include assessing business e-mail networks to novel ways to incorporate gesture-based applications using the iPhone's built in accelerometer.
One company plans a deluxe "to-do" list that ties camera photos to tasks or events. And the capability to clear the phone of all data remotely if it is lost or stolen is a first to my knowledge.
The era of all-IP based handsets and broadband wireless access is coming---or is it here already?
Tim Sanders
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