Namco Unveil Unite SDK .. iPhone-to-iPhone Gaming is so 2009.

One for the game developers now. Since the iPhone’s launch and the App Store’s debut, we’ve seen a slurry of companies take it upon themselves to create a “social” medium or space in which gamers of all ages and skill levels can communicate and interact with each other on a device to device basis. But so far, supposedly due to the limitations of the iPhone SDK, this has been restricted to three methods of gameplay for us here gamers; iPhone to iPhone. iPhone to iPod touch or iPod touch to iPod touch.

Namco, most famous for its worldwide Pac-Man franchise, have announced at GDC yesterday that they have been working on a new, different method. Unite is a cross-platform gaming technology that will allow users to play against gamers using different types of devices and machines and challenge each other in the same game. Acting very much like a social network, Unites aim is to unite gamers the world over, no matter which device they choose to play on.

“For example, an iPhone gamer could play a game against a PC player in Pool Pro Online 3. Unite will have a single login across all platforms supported by the platform. Gamers have a profile fronted by an avatar and a score, boosted by the accumulation of achievements in Unite-powered games.And having a central web site (and soon, an iPhone app) where you can manage your account should also make it an attractive alternative to developers looking for a social solution for their games.”

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iPhone OS SDK 3.2 Beta Lifts VoIP Over 3G Restriction. AT&T and O2 Say “Wahh?!”

As you probably already know by now, last Wednesday Apple unveiled to the world its new “tablet computer” – the Apple iPad. Shortly after the event came to a close, like always, Apple issued registered developers of it’s ADC network the next beta of the iPhone OS SDK. Version 3.2. Now among trivial changes, like this version of OS only being compatible with the iPad, one change has been uncovered which is slightly confusing.

If you’re not familiar with VoIP or Voice Over Internet Protocol, the technology allows for telecommunication using the internet. Take a service like Skype, for example. It uses VoIP to connect its millions of users to other users around the world at very little, or no cost at all. Ever since the introduction of the iPhone SDK, Apple has stood by the fact that its partnering mobile networks, AT&T in the US and O2 in the UK, weren’t so keen on the fact that developers could (if they wanted) use VoIP to circumvent monthly call plans. So, Apple being Apple and wanting to keep relations sweet put a restriction on the iPhone SDK stating that use of VoIP over a 3G data connection was prohibited.

Late Wednesday night though this all took a turn around – for the better, with the introduction of the iPhone OS 3.2 SDK Beta – as now, this SDK does support VoIP over the iPhone’s 3G network. In fact, a few applications, such as iCall and Fring, are already supporting this new rule, ultimately saving you money on phone calling through local and international ad-supported calling. This all leaves me to ask myself one question .. What must AT&T, O2 and the other mobile networks selling iPhone call plans around the world, think of this move? Did they sanction it? Maybe they believe they’re going to make so much of a killing off 3G pre-pay plans with the iPad this Spring, that they don’t care about loss of revenue in regards to call plans on the iPhone?

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iPhone SDK Agreement Confusion Clarified

Developers and news outlets alike have been up in arms about the clarification made in the agreement signed by developers before receiving the SDK. Unfortunately, there have been some serious misconceptions about what, if anything, has actually changed and what it will mean for both the official development and jailbroken communities.

Section 3.2 Use of the SDK, paragraph (e) states:

(e) You will not, through use of the SDK or otherwise, create any Application or other program that would disable, hack or otherwise interfere with any security, digital signing, digital rights management, content protection, verification or authentication mechanisms implemented in or by the iPhone operating system software, iPod touch operating system software, this SDK, or other Apple software, services or technology, or enable others to do so.

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iPhone OS 3.0 Announcement Next Week

Apple today sent out invites for an event on 3/17 to announce the iPhone OS 3.0 (I’m sure ours is still in the mail). Turns out that March 24th event that everyone was speculating about was actually March 17th.

Apple will likely announce the early details of iPhone OS 3.0 including the changes that will impact developers. We’re likely to see an updated SDK well before the OS ships to consumers to allow developers to build and test their apps with the new OS. It’s unclear if Apple will ship the 3.0 SDK on 3/17 or just announce it.

We’re not likely to see any updated consumer facing features demonstrated next week. That would be very unlike Apple. Those Apple will likely hold of on and show at the keynote of WWDC.

The timing of this announcement matches up well with the time line Apple followed for the 2.0 release with the SDK announced on 3/6/2008. This was followed up with detail announcement at WWDC and consumer release in July alongside the iPhone 3G. This also lends some credence to the idea that a new iPhone will be announced at WWDC this year.

This announcement means that WWDC is a lot more relevant for iPhone developers now. There should be lots of talks on the new iPhone OS features.

What features do you think we’ll see in 3.0? What do you want to see? Hit us up in the comments and let us know your thoughts. We’ll have a wrap up post next week to talk about what was announced and how it compares with what you’d like to see.