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100,000 downloads of iPhone SDKs

Applehas announced that there have already been 100,000 downloads of theiPhone software developer kit (SDK) in the four days since release.

Witheach developer kit costing $99, even TechRadar.com's rudimentarymaths skills can work out that this gives Apple just shy of $10million, before it even starts raking in 30 per cent of any profitsfrom the sale of the applications that are made.

The SDK's arrival has sparked huge interest globally from third-party developers, including Team 17 and Microsoft's Silverlight team, with many viewing the iPhone (and the iPod touch) as a potentially huge distribution market for their wares.

Incredible reactionAdvertisement

"Developerreaction to the iPhone SDK has been incredible with more than 100,000downloads in the first four days," said Philip Schiller,Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing.

"Also,over one million people have watched the launch video on Apple.com,further demonstrating the incredible interest developers have increating applications for the iPhone."

What the SDK arrivalmeans for the average iPhone user is that they could well be able tobuy the solutions to the problems they have with the iPhone.

Peopleare already racing to fill gaps like the lack of task lists and cut andpaste, but it appears that it is games that are most firing enthusiasm.

Pac-man and Galaga

"We'revery excited about Apple's new SDK and reaching every iPhone userthrough the new App Store," said Scott Rubin, vice president,Sales and Marketing, Namco Networks.

"We can't wait to show off great new versions of arcade classics like Pac-man and Galaga that use the revolutionary features of the iPhone and iPod touch."

Appleis offering a $100 million pot for the best applications released, andits covered 10 per cent of that outlay with just the developer kitsales. The company will host approved software apps in a special store,taking 30 per cent of any sales generated.