In one sentence on Apple’s Hot News blog yesterday Steve Jobs changed (some of) everything: “Let me just say it: We want native third party applications on the iPhone, and we plan to have an SDK in developers’ hands in February.” Yup, Apple is cracking open the iPhone so developers will be able to write new iPhone applications. The Times and just about everyone else picked up the story if you want details, but Job’s single sentence told me what I need to know.

If you recall from the run-up to the iPhone’s release several months ago, the computer lurking inside was theoretically (until now) capable of doing a lot more than making calls or playing mp3 and video files. Finally we’ll get a chance to see what it can do, where it can take us, and the implications for business, education and just plain fun are enormous. Think lighter briefcases, desktop apps in your pocket, one hand-held per child, MMOGs and virtual worlds that you can take with you… Let the development begin!