Apple and Steve Jobs just took a big step to becoming the new standard for Rich Media (music/video/games/pictures) mobile applications. They’ve opened up the doors to you…independent “Content” developers. As I’ve been writing for years, Content is king. Why do you watch TV? Because of what’s on it…Content! Why would you buy an iPhone…Because Of What’s On It!
That being said, iPhone has become the hottest tech gadget since the invention of the desktop computer, capturing 28% of the US market. Making it number 2 behind RIM’s Blackberry. Well Jobs wants to change that and has just unveiled a developer program that includes all three components of tech entrepreneurial success; money, software, and hardware.
- Money:
Silicon Valley venture capital firm announces a $100 million iFund to foster the new iPhone developer platform and encourage independent developers and entrepreneurs to build new programs for the iPhone. (see
http://www.kpcb.com/initiatives/ifund/index.html)
- Software:
Apple unveils an impressive suite of iPhone developer tools built around their default web browser Safari. Job’s claims that a working knowledge of modern web standards is all that’s needed to code up custom iPhone goodies. (see http://developer.apple.com/internet/safari)
- Hardware:
The Apple iPhone, introduced less than a year ago, already holds almost of a third of the smart phone market share. It’s 3.5-inch widescreen color display is the ultimate way to watch Rich Media
(music/video/games/pictures) or access Net-based applications on a pocketable device. (see http://www.store.apple.com/iphone)
Now if all that wasn’t good enough, here is the clincher… Starting in June, iPhone will market your content through iTunes and the iPhone itself. Yes you heard me right. Starting this summer, Apple will start advertising all the new movies, games, music, business applications, and other functions that only an iPhone can do.
In this new e-commerce solution, Rich Media will be marketed, sold, paid for, and downloaded entirely though a single mobile device….the iPhone. Developers will get to choose the price for their applications and content, with the split being 70/30 of the purchase price. Apple gets 30% and you get 70. It don’t get better then that!
The Apple iPhone is predicted to sell 10 million units this year, and is looking at (with the advent of this new developers program) capturing one percent of global mobile-phone market. Totaling about 1 billion devices this year, according to Jobs. Do you want access to this growing market? Now’s your chance.
As always I’m advising all Black independent film makers, game developers, music producers, authors, and dot.com wanna-be’s to jump on this opportunity. I’m not going to go into how Black are the biggest consumers, multimedia users, content creators and market in the country…if you need data or convincing on any of that, just review my past stories on technology by Googling my name.
I’m just going to end by saying…we as the creators of American Pop culture need to start reaping the full fruits of our labors and stop accepting the crumbs off the table. So if you don’t know…Now You Know!
We Must Share The Knowledge (Network)…To Share The Dollars!