Google Mobile cheats the iPhone’s public API
Wondered why there aren’t more iPhone applications using the proximity sensor to detect when you want to speak to them? Well, that would be because the corresponding API functions are undocumented.
As in, you’re not supposed to know about them; you’re not supposed to use them; Apple is not supposed to accept in the App Store an application that uses them.
Not that I think it’s a big deal (the iPhone SDK is still relatively fresh and unstable, which is the main reason why some functionality may be restricted; and I don’t find it horrifying that Google might get a bit of preferential treatment, as they are a partner providing integral services to the iPhone), but it’s an interesting tidbit. And maybe I’d actually be outraged if I’d shelled out the $100 to be an iPhone developer.
Plus, they can’t really prevent third-party developers from using that API from this point on, right? Yeah, right. Of course they will.
Want to know when I post new content to my blog? It's a simple as registering for free to an RSS aggregator (Feedly, NewsBlur, Inoreader, …) and adding www.ff00aa.com to your feeds (or www.garoo.net if you want to subscribe to all my topics). We don't need newsletters, and we don't need Twitter; RSS still exists.
Legal information: This blog is hosted par OVH, 2 rue Kellermann, 59100 Roubaix, France, www.ovhcloud.com.
Personal data about this blog's readers are not used nor transmitted to third-parties. Comment authors can request their deletion by e-mail.
All contents © the author or quoted under fair use.
