Apple Drops NDA for iPhone Developers

The company put up a notice on the main Apple developer Web page that developers are released from the NDA regarding iPhone software that has already been released.

The NDA was one of the most frustrating aspects of iPhone development in its first three official months, forbidding developers from discussing their software and throwing into legal limbo the status of programs such as iPhone development classes.

Apple's explanation for dropping the NDA was that they put the NDA in place because the iPhone OS includes many Apple inventions and innovations that we would like to protect, so that others don't steal their work. 

While they have filed for hundreds of patents on iPhone technology, the NDA added yet another level of protection. They put it in place as one more way to help protect the iPhone from being ripped off by others.

However, the NDA has created too much of a burden on developers, authors and others interested in helping further the iPhone's success, so they are dropping it for released software. Developers will receive a new agreement without an NDA covering released software within a week or so.

Apple has made subtle tweaks to the App Store the past week in response to developer concerns, but this is by far the most sweeping change it has made to placate developers, who continue to flood the App Store with iPhone applications.

The launch of an open-source developer-friendly mobile operating system just a week ago probably didn't hurt.