Enterprise Apps May Flourish With iPhone 3.0 Software

Another new feature of the 3.0 software that could have an impact on developers is the ability to charge for content within the app.While the rumor mill is reaching a fever pitch with reports that Apple will show off a new iPhone during the keynote session at the Worldwide Developers Conference, the company said it definitely will be talking in-depth about the iPhone 3.0 software upgrade.

This firmware upgrade is a significant milestone for the iPhone because it is expected to plug many of the weaknesses in the platform, and it rewards developers with new opportunities to create innovative applications that can be monetized.

The App Store for the iPhone and iPod Touch is already wildly popular with consumers and developers, but the 3.0 software may make the platform even more attractive because it offers content creators more than 1,000 new hooks into the hardware.

Krishnapillai said the push-notification system could be extremely useful for business apps where real-time information is crucial. For example, this system could be used to enhance the capabilities of Sybase's mobile e-mail program for the iPhone, or it could greatly assist a customer-relationship management program.

Developers with the 3.0 software said it provides other capabilities that they cannot yet speak about due to non-disclosure agreements, and Apple will likely show these off during the keynote. This could include things like video recording or a digital compass, but Apple will end all the speculation Monday at 10 a.m. when senior VP of worldwide product marketing Philip Schiller steps on stage during the keynote.