Considering all the hype spinning around the new Apple iPhone, I find it interesting that no one is discussing it's most spectacular feature combo. It's not news that the iPhone's foundation is the Mac OS; neither is it news that the iPhone is an iPod. Question: Could this mean that future iPods will be based on the Mac OS?
It's probably true that most iPod users don't know, and don't care, about the OS inside their iPod. "It just works!", is probably enough for them. On the other hand, for those of you wondering what's next for the iPod, an iPod running the Mac OS should boggle the mind. Today's Apple rumor is that an iPhone Development Kit (SDK) will be previewed or released at Apple's World Wide Developer's Conference (WWDC) in two weeks. If next generation iPods are based on the Mac OS, then the iPhone SDK could also be an iPod SDK!
While Apple is (rightly?) concerned that third party applications could compromise the security of an iPhone, they probably have fewer concerns about the iPod. A Chinese iPod manufacturer has already demonstrated that an iPod can be used to spread Windows based viruses; Apple will need to use some caution, but not much. It's not as if the iPod has the Zune-like capability to transmit viruses wirelessly to every other iPod it meets on the street. Truth: I don't know if the Zune can do that either; that's purely speculational! Actually, my understanding is that MicroSoft's Digital Rights Management (DRM) won't let your Zune upload files received "socially" onto your PC. Kudo for that, Microsoft.
I imagine that the first fruits of an iPod SDK will be games. I also imagine that an iPod SDK could create an industry comparable to the rest of the iPod accessory market.
Release the hounds!
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