The iPhone SDK and Higher Education Developers
Last week, Apple announced it’s iPhone SDK and developer program. Developers can start building their apps now, but the iPhone software 2.0 update won’t go to users until June, so there’s plenty of time to get your app working.
I’ve been thinking the last few days about how developers in higher education might use the iPhone and what kind of apps we could build. As the iPhone market share increases, more and more students will have them on campus and expect them to work with campus resources, like wireless and portal services.
I initially thought about Facebook application style apps that recycle existing content, but since the iPhone has a full featured web browser, it’d be a waste of time and $99 to have you app vetted by Apple and included in the AppStore.
I assume the major campus ERP solutions like Datatel and Banner will develop apps that will allow users to tap right into school’s back-end systems. If Datatel, for example, develops an application to allow access to campus services, there will be issues for schools, such as will each school need to further customize the app to meet their needs? Will it need to be branded by the school? Will there be a run on server and bandwidth resources if everyone starts connecting with their phones instead of web-based platforms like WebAdvisor or Banner?
I also thought about housing providers like CBORD and their potential offerings. I would imagine it would be convenient for RA’s and other housing officials to do their end of year inspections and carry an iPhone with them. They could punch in the room number, see all relevant information about the room including past damage, current occupants, service requests during the year, etc. They would mark new damage that was done, and could use the iPhone’s camera to take a picture of damage for proof (you know, to avoid the ‘yes you broke this, no i didn’t’ type fights that I’m sure arise every year). All that could be uploaded by wifi to a central server and repair bills could be run for students.
What other sorts of applications would make sense? What would be needed to be developed in the SDK and as a stand-alone app that can’t already be solved by a web-based version of any application? Will the $99 fee to get into the program dissuade schools to join and develop?
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