Comments on: iPhone SDK Agreement – Not So Much With the Real Time GPS?

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:26:25 +0000

To piggy back on what Sam M said.

I am pretty sure the disclaimer just means that 3rd party devs can't make a turn-by-turn guidance app that uses Google Maps as the mapping program. I think they are trying to say that you need to design it from the ground up, maps and guidance all in one.

I could be wrong though and only time will tell. With the popularity and rising use of cellphones as turn by turn GPS devices though, I can't see this being true to what it sounds like.

By: Sam M

Sam M — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:19:40 +0000

That disclaimer is taken word for word from the Google Maps API.

By: burnsaa

burnsaa — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:18:39 +0000

Urgh ... Apple is seeming a little to big brothery to me here. So I guess that means that the pwnage guys are the ones doing the hammer throw into apple now.

Well I guess this means that the gps makers can start using a toilet now and can clean out their pants.

By: Rene Ritchie

Rene Ritchie — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:48:23 +0000

Apple's legal department is just right of the Empire. Deny now, allow later is probably the mandate. Remember when the ULA for Safari for Windows said it could only be run on a Mac?

My guess is the iPhone SDK ULA will pretty much forbid anything, just in case there's a scenario Apple couldn't initially envision that would later leave them liable/actionable due to 3rd party misuse.

So, if Tom Tom is for realz, than it shows exceptions (special dispensations) will be made, likely on a case-by-case basis.

Though, being overly controlling may just mean that when chaos theory outs, and something does go wrong, they're even more liable for missing it...