macOS Does the 3G iPhone (not the SDK) excite programmers?

[Earendil]

I know the big deal is the SDK and software 2.0.
However I've been interested in the iPhone/Touch as a way to motivate myself to pick up Object C and become familiar with the XCode IDE.
Small compact platform, a place where small apps can have real value, not a place where people are likely to have written those apps, and unique features like multi touch, accelerometer, and now GPS.

I'm wondering if those who have delved into the iPhone hold out any hope of being able to access functions surrounding new features/hardware in the 3G iPhone. I know Apple has bluetooth locked down pretty tight (to the point of useless), but what might we expect with the GPS unit? The accelerometer is pretty open as far as accessing it's data and sensing abilities, correct?

I would love to spring for a 3G iPhone, but I am also still a student and am imaging that the older iPhones will become dirt cheap at this point. I guess I'm just musing out loud on the differences (programaticaly) between the two different models.

That's all

~Tyler

p.s. I'm aware no one really "knows" yet. That's okay, I'm up for guess work

 

[robbieduncan]

I'm pretty sure the GPS unit is exposed to code in the same was as the cell-tower and wifi hot spot based locations were for the older hardware: via CoreLocation. In fact I'd be very surprised if you need to know which is in use: simply ask for the location and a combination of all 3 will be used. The same call will work on older iPhones and on an iPod touch if is connected to WiFi....

 

[admanimal]

The main new hardware features are 3G and GPS. Any app that uses the network automatically gets the benefit of 3G, no work required. Similarly, the GPS just provides better accuracy to the Core Location service which exists in 1st gen phones as well. The programmer has no need to access the GPS hardware directly.

 

[Earendil]

Awesome, thanks guys!
Obviously haven't no previous knowledge of the 1st gen iPhone has hurt my knowledge of what to expect from the 2nd get. But you guys answered my questions fine I believe.

Thanks.
~Tyler

 

[Buschmaster]

My main concern is that they're cracking down more on activations. So if I upgrade to a 3G iPhone I want to keep my current plan since 3G barely excites me (Almost always on wifi anyway) and then I'll want to keep my current phone just to make sure it works fine on both sets of hardware. I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem just testing it on one but we can't be too cautious, right?

 

[liptonlover]

3G is awesome developer-wise because with it comes GPS and because, of course, it makes everything way faster. I'm excited, (more for others than for me) that they did the notification thing, that was really clever and solves a lot of problems. On a side note I really wish they had opened up the iphone to all carriers, this would allow them to stop making the itouch, so I could get an itouch $100 cheaper.

 

[Cromulent]

On a side note I really wish they had opened up the iphone to all carriers, this would allow them to stop making the itouch, so I could get an itouch $100 cheaper.

How did you work that one out?

 

[liptonlover]

well the itouch is just the iphone without the phone, and now $100 dollars more. If apple unleashed the iphone to all carriers, then you could have an iphone without a service, so for all purposes it's now an itouch. But now that I tihnk about it you wouldn't get the subsidy then...

 

[lee1210]

I'm excited to some extent because there is no new hardware that differentiates the two models from a developers perspective. That should mean apps are for everyone. Some apps might be hamstrung by a lot of network usage that would only be reasonable on wifi or 3G, but that seems fine. The music store is wifi only already.

-Lee