I think the real reason for the success of the iPhone isn’t just the fact that anyone can learn to program applications for it, but that the phone offers some really incredible features. The feature that makes the iPhone really stand out is a user’s ability to easily find new applications via phone or within iTunes. With a couple keyword searches, you’ve found what you want and it’s downloading right on the phone. The best part is, only Apple reviewed applications can be loaded on a factory default phone. I believe this is the real genius.
Other things in life are made to fit together and we accept it as common place. I like to think of the iPhone applications as legos that just load right on the phone. Users don’t have to worry about having the right phone, the right amount of memory, the right screen size, etc. For some reason, however, this is what we’ve grown to accept from a computer, whether it’s a usable application, a poorly designed application or even viruses. All these things can be installed whether it is beneficial for your system or not.
I think that using this same modular concept for computers would go a long way in advancing the technology industry. Most home computer users are employing similar functions – checking email, surfing the web, filing taxes, organizing personal finances, playing games, etc. What if I could go to the local computer store and purchase a machine that comes loaded with 99% of the software that I already need. Then, once I get it home, I can then purchase the additional things I need on demand or select them from an online store. Because non-certified applications can’t be loaded, viruses wouldn’t even be an issue.
Something to think about!