With its updated software development kit, Apple is making it harder for iPhone developers to peddle ther wares outside of the App Store.
Ars Technica reports that the revised agreement specifically forbids developers from distributing programs elsewhere, jailbreaking devices or helping to jailbreak in any way. Most developers are signing on, because it's hard to refuse a market that sees 800 million downloads per year.
The new agreement could effectively kill alternative App stores such as Cydia, a venue that's full of unauthorized programs. Applications on Cydia include theme managers, a program to convert the iPhone's camera to a video recorder, a Wi-Fi toggler and access to otherwise unavailable settings. On the other hand, the agreement could create a more vibrant scene for rogue apps if more developers are pushed to the margins.
In addition to forbidding jailbreaks and unauthorized Apps, the agreement doesn't not allow for Apps that impact touch screen software or the operating system itself. Developers will also be forbidden from jailbreaking their own phones.
Will the crackdown work? I imagine that developers who play by Apple's rules will stop experimenting with the dark side, but as Ars mentions, the new agreement could hinder developers trying to go behind the scenes to get maximum potential out of their Apps.
