It looks like the iPhone is going to be a closed system (thanks for the link David!). If this is true then it will mean that companies like Skyscape, Epocrates, etc will have to come up with an alternative to their current system of installable apps on Smartphones and PDAs if they want to develop for iPhone users.
One method of solving this problem would be to deliver the applications through the Safari browser on the phone. From the demonstration videos on www.apple.com the browser offers some unique ways of viewing web pages via the ‘multi-touch’ interface. This allows you to zoom in and around a page using two finger to stretch, zoom and scroll. Almost reminds me of Tom Cruise’s hand waving interface in Minority Report.
Whether browser delivery will be off-line or live will probably depend on things like wi-fi availabilty or how cheap the data calls are going to be.




