Other than announcements about enterprise features coming to the iPhone, which I’m sure were exciting to a great many people (just maybe not to a mac indy developer like me), the news from Apple today was all about the iPhone SDK. Ever since the iPhone was released, Mac developers have been asking for an SDK. Apple’s original claim that we would be able to create everything we needed using modern web techniques inside of mobile Safari was not met with enthusiasm. Luckily for all of us, Apple changed it’s mind, and decided to make a real development environment available. I’m really excited to start developing as well as to see what other developers come up with.

Apple announced that the beta version of the SDK would be available for download within the hour. Nearly instantly (I got about half way through the sign-up process), their servers were overwhelmed with traffic. Clearly there is a little bit of interest here. However, many may be disappointed, as the iPhone developer program page states, “The iPhone Developer Program will initially be available to a limited number of developers in the U.S. and will expand to other countries in the coming months.”. In what way it will be limited, and why it is exclusive to the U.S. at present is not clear.

The details of how everything will work are still sketchy, but promising. Developers will be able to use tools they already know to build iPhone applications: xCode, and in a surprise move to many, Interface Builder. Apple has provided an iPhone simulator to allow us to run and debug our applications all on one system. Debugging can also be done while the application runs on an actual iPhone or iPod Touch that is connected to the development computer. That’s just amazing, and will be a big boon to development.

The increasingly-misnamed iTunes will host the applications that developers create. Users will also be able to download applications directly from their iPhones using the new App Store that will be included in a June software update.

During the press conference Steve Jobs talked about using this system to get the best of both worlds in terms of distribution of applications. iPods are secure; Apple fully controls what applications go on them, and therefore can ensure that no malicious application will bring down the system. They can also ensure that everything is presented in a friendly way to the user. Conversely the Macintosh is quite open; the user can install whatever they want. As a result though, people have problems getting things set up, and applications can take advantage of the system, hogging resources hurting other applications that might be running. Now what you’d want if one of those applications is responsible for handling incoming calls to your cell phone.

This new best of both worlds approach aims to bridge that gap. Apple has made the iPhone platform open, but is still in control. It will evaluate applications for inclusion in the iTunes store, only allowing applications that will play nice. From a developer’s point of view, this strategy has both positives and negatives.

The first area of compromise is in profits. Apple has decreed that it will be a 30/70 split, with 70% of revenues going to the developer, and 30% to Apple for distribution, handling payments, and marketing. In our current online store, I’m not spending 30% of profits for handling credit cards and distributing downloads – but the marketing Apple will provide may very well make up the difference. If your application is featured, it could be huge for small developers, as it’s a sure-fire way to get lots of people looking at your software.

There are a few other points of vagueness that hopefully will be cleared up with time. Most developers have beta programs – will there be any way to get iPhone applications in the hands of beta testers before they are released through the App Store? Many of us also have coupon codes, or ways to provide discounts or sales – will that be possible?

From a consumer’s perspective, is just seeing an application’s icon and a description enough to make a purchasing decision? Many small (and even large!) developers these days offer time-limited demos of their software available for download. It doesn’t sound like this will be possible with Apple’s iTunes distribution service. However, perhaps people will be more willing to make impulse purchases directly from their phone. We’ll have to wait and see.

The Venture Capital firm KPCP and Apple also announced iFund – a venture capital fund of $100 million to support upcoming iPhone software based companies. The details aren’t really out on this yet, but some more information can be found here. Definitely a sign that people think there is some big money in developing for the iPhone.

However this all works out for developers, one thing is for sure – come June, it will work out great for Apple and iPhone users. It’s hard to believe they didn’t plan this from day one.

Dan Messing owns and operates Stunt Software, creators of Overflow, On The Job, and other great Macintosh software.