Apple’s CEO, Steve Jobs, made a big announced telling us that iPhone and iPod Touch SDK (Software Development Kit) will be handed over to third party developers in February. Using the SDK, developers will be able to create real applications, which can be installed on an iPhone or iPod Touch without employing any complex hacks. We’ll soon see more powerful applications, which don’t need Safari web browser to run.

iPhone is indeed a powerful device, so releasing the SDK could easily allow malicious hackers to code viruses and malware. Apple recognizes the consequences, so they are working on something which would give developers the library to code openly, while keeping their users safe. Here’s what Steve had to say:

“It will take until February to release an SDK because we’re trying to do two diametrically opposed things at once—provide an advanced and open platform to developers while at the same time protect iPhone users from viruses, malware, privacy attacks, etc. This is no easy task. Some claim that viruses and malware are not a problem on mobile phones—this is simply not true”