iPhone SDK hits beta 4

Another week, another beta version of the iPhone SDK. I haven’t seen this many sequels since the Rocky franchise. So, what does Beta IV bring to the table (sadly, not an appearance by Dolph Lundgren)?

Most importantly, the iPhone Simulator (the app you can run on your Mac that makes it look like you’re running on an iPhone) now supports Open GL ES, allowing the Simulator to run 3D graphics that are the same as the iPhone’s. That’s good news especially for those designing games. New iPhone OS templates are also included.

The second major addition is Code Signing, which is now being enforced on iPhones and iPod touches. That means that unless you have a valid certificate issued by Apple as part of the developer program, your apps will no longer run on the iPhone or iPod touch—they will, however, still work in the iPhone Simulator on your Mac. Code Signing is a big part of the touted security of the iPhone OS; I wonder what effect it will have on the future of jailbreak apps if digital signatures are required for all applications. I suppose we’ll see in June.

Category: Software

Posted by Dan Moren on Apr 24 2008, 10:58 AM ET

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