Apple May Use iTunes to Distribute iPhone SDK

• Posted: Sunday, February 17, 2008
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• Author: pradhana
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• Filed under: Apple, Digital Content, iPod, Online Services

Is Apple's popular iTunes music store about to morph into a software shop? Wired Magazine is reporting that Apple may turn iTunes into a distribution vehicle for iPhone software developers. Developers are anxiously awaiting Apple's upcoming iPhone software development kit that is expected to be available later this month.

According to Wired, the move is being met with mixed emotions. Some developers feel like making their software available on iTunes will put Apple in control of the pricing. However, others are excited about the number of possible consumers that will have access to their software. Nielson Online estimates 20 percent of U.S. consumers purchase their music through iTunes.

That trust is undoubtedly tied to the fact that -- regardless of the hoops developers have to jump through or the powers they have to relinquish -- iTunes is an unparalleled platform for digital distribution. An estimated 35.7 million people use iTunes, according to Nielsen Online.

Based on the figures Apple CEO Steve Jobs provided at this year's Macworld Expo, Apple has now sold more than 4 billion songs through its iTunes Store. By some estimates, 20 percent of the U.S. population now purchases its music through iTunes. Whether the store is ultimately the only venue for distributing iPhone and iPod Touch software or not, using it for app distribution means that many third-party developers will have the chance to get their software noticed by a huge base of users.

For more on iTune's possible role read this Wired article: Want iPhone Apps? Get Ready to Shop in iTunes

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