Apple Opens iPhone to Application Developers

Jobs also said that the February release for the SDK will give the company time to address security issues that were the initial pretext for limiting developers' access to the iPhone.

"There have been serious viruses on other mobile phones already, including some that silently spread from phone to phone over the cell network," Jobs wrote.

Because the iPhone has become such a high-profile device, Jobs said it is a particularly attractive target for viruses, privacy attacks and other malicious applications.

Developers and analysts, however, dismissed that claim as a red herring to give Apple a reason to retain complete control over its own device.

Apple is still placing some limits on what iPhone applications it will permit, but "fundamentally they're taking the right course," says Jack Gold.

"They really had no option. At end of day, people want apps on their phone."