At 11 Mar 2008 16:15:46 -0700 4phun wrote:
> http://www.cellular-news.com/story/29819.php
> $100 Million for iPhone software applications
>
> Venture Capital fund, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPC has
> announced a huge US$100 million investment initiative to finance new
> products developed explicitly for the Apple iPhone and iPod touch
> platform.


Well, the skeptic in me says that this tells us that there will likely be a
significant "barrier to entry" to get app approval and placement in the
iTunes store. So non-programmers with money are hoping to milk the iPhone
gold rush by buying equity in the small software houses than might need
help ponying up the cash to get certified/listed in return for a cut of all
future profits (at least those profits left after they "render unto Apple
what is Apple's.")


> Why doesn't HTC,LG, Sony, or Nokia pony up that kind of money for
> developing new software for their phones?


Because with a free SDK, and no seal-of-approval or commission-based
distribution system to share profits with, developers don't have to be loan-
sharked to afford to develop. And they get to keep all of their earnings
or can negotiate with competitive distributors (Handango, Pocket Gear, etc.)
in a free-market.