Top 10 iPhone SDK Apps: Wish List

The iPhone SDK is finally here.  The two people with whom I live are computer scientists: Robert Synnott is a professional developer, and John Reddin is studying the subject at Trinity, in Dublin, and intends on writing some apps for the platform.

They already have their hands on the SDK and development environment for the iPhone, and already, I'm pestering them to write some apps that I desperately want.

So, I decided I'd commit my "Top Ten Apps for the iPhone: Wish List" to my blog.  And here it is:

1. Native RSS Reader/Aggregator:

This already exists, unofficially, for jailbroken iPhones, but it's painfully buggy, very slow and includes the most annoying feature of many-an-application-of-yesteryear: the dreaded SPLASH SCREEN!  Ugh!  Of course, I greatly appreciate the efforts of the developer, and acknowledge he developed it in the absence of an official SDK.  But, my God, I found it frustrating.

If this app simply checked for new posts in the subscribed feeds, and downloaded them locally so that one could read them when no network is available, it would be simply fantastic!

Other Features:

(a) Ability to import feeds using OPML (possibly directly from Google Reader).

(b) Syncing with Google Reader, or other "online" feed managers a la IMAP for e-mail.

(c) Badge on the app's icon to alert the user that new items are ready to read.  Similar to the Mail app badge.

(d) Possible "plugin" for Safari browser to easily subscribe in the RSS app whilst browsing RSS-enabled sites online.  Or, failing that, the ability to enter the main URL for the site, with the app looking for the associated RSS feed.  Bliss!

2. Blogging Application: 

A simple, clean interface for writing a new blog entry on the go.  

Specific Features:

(a) Options for adding photos and embedding YouTube videos.  

(b) Multi-platform support: Blogger, MoveableType, Wordpress, LiveJournal and so on.

(c) FTP posting for self-hosted blogs.  

(d) Comment checking: ability to check for new comments to posts and display a badge on the icon for the app to alert the user of the new comment.  Again, similar to the badge icon for new mail in the Mail app.

3. Instant Message Client: 

AOL are already working on an AIM messenger for the iPhone, but a multi-protocol IM client would be even better.

Features:

(a) Multi-protocol support.  Please!

(b) Status message support; current iTunes track display; user icon support.

(c) Simultaneous chats, including chats using differing protocols (i.e AIM and MSN at the same time).

(d) Ability to remain running when the user exits the app, with the user being alerted when a new message arrives or a new chat is initiated by a buddy.  Again, badge icon and possibly alert sound to tell the user.

4. Flickr App:

Features:

(a) Log in and view your photos, with full multi-touch scaling and orientation rotating (like the built-in Photo app).

(b) Ability to view friend's photos, and download them to your iPhone.

(c) Full support for tags, with built-in search ability for public photos.

(d) Ability to upload photos from the device to one's Flickr account, also with the ability to tag before submitting.

5. (American/British) Oxford English Dictionary.

All Mac's come with a wonderful OED dictionary.  I would LOVE to see this on the iPhone.  Clearly the iPhone has some form of dictionary as it already incorporates spell check functionality.  However, if this were extended to a full app with OED definitions, it would be wonderful.  Throw in a Thesaurus, and I'd pay for it!

Other Feaures:

(a) Integration with other applications, such as the ability to click and hold on a word in the Mail app or the Safari browser leading to the Dictionary app launching and presenting the definition.

(b) Plugin extensibility: allowing for other developers to provide other dictionaries, encyclopedias and so forth.

Of course, this app wouldn't need to rely on a local database stored on the iPhone itself.  It would be possible to use online sources, and thus incorporate language translation services offered by many sites.

6. Photo Editing Application:

The default Photo app is great, and features some gorgeous transtions/slide-show effects as well as the ability for the photo to adopt a portrait or landscape orientation depending on the alignment of the device.  It also allows the user to zoom in/out using the two fingers on the screen.

But imagine if it could do this:

(a) Red eye correction of photos.

(b) Simple colour, brightness, contrast correction.

(c) Use of Core Animation "distortion" effects, etc.

(d) Ability to add text and borders.

(e) Option to save the resulting image, and send it to the Mail app to e-mail to others.

I swear this isn't because I enjoy photoshopping innocent friends.  It would also mean one could make LOL Cats on the go!

7. Podcast App

Now this one, I would ADORE!  Imagine this.  You're out and about, and you want to make a podcast.  You could be anywhere, with anyone!  Record away, and submit to your server.  Let the app deal with all the clever bits!  I haven't a clue how it would be done!

Features:

(a) Records to compressed mp3 or m4a.

(b) Ability to edit.  A simple "waveform" editor could allow one to cut out clips, rearrange clips, increase volume for specified segments and even "layer" another audio track onto the stream.

(c) Upload to your specified server.

I really think this could take podcasting "out of the home".  It would allow amateur podcasters to incorporate guests, perform interviews, and cover events without the need for a computer.  Well, unless they want to do some serious editing!

In addition, this app could function as a very simple audio recorder/dictaphone app too.

8. Social Networking App:

This could be a killer app.  Imagine this:

(a) Location awareness.  Let your buddies know where you are.  In addition, if they are having a party or hosting an event, let both your location and the location of the event show up in the built-in Maps app and give you directions, date, name of venue etc.  You could subsequently "rate" any venue, so your friends would know what's hot!  Using the "locate feature" (triangulation from cell tower masts) you could also be alerted if any of your buddies were close by; imagine being in town and being told "Robert Synnott" is close by!  You could call and meet up!  You could even be somewhere, and free, and set a status such as "meet up", so when friends appear in the vicinity, they'd be given this information.

(b) Bonjour: the "zero configuration network" solution by Apple.  It's already there.  If you're on a local network (say Starbucks), you'll see others show up in your app who also have that app on an iPhone.  See their profile, chat with them, take their number etc.  Of course, various privacy settings would be available.  And let's face it: dating sells!

(c) iTunes currently playing: Let your buddies or "random bonjour strangers!" know what you're listening to, and provide a link to the built-in iTunes Store on the iPhone to purchase it.

(d) Integration with the Phone Dialer.  While you're in the social networking app, you can simply click on "call" or "text" for their profile, and it'll do it.

9. Internet Radio.

Sadly, Real Player isn't supported on the iPhone (yet).  It would be lovely to be able to listen to the BBC Radio Streams on-the-go.  This need not be limited to just the BBC, but could be extended as a "World Radio" player, supporting a multitude of codecs and so forth from the leading stations around the world.

Features:

(a) Support for many codecs: Real Audio, WMV, MPEG etc

(b) Options to search by country, genre, and station.

(c) Built-in schedule (if provided by the station) with calender alerts that a subscribed show is about to start.  This Mac OS X BBC Radio widget already incorporates this.

10. Ireland Specific "Widgets"

By widgets, I mean those mini-apps (ones that often provide a client-side interface to server-side information).  The built in Weather and Stocks app would be an example.  There are lots of "widgets" which I have longed to see.  This last entry is somewhat Ireland specific, but the principle could be applied anywhere.

The Stocks (Widget) App, on the iPhone

Examples:

(a) Cinema listing times, with support for at least the biggies, like Cineworld, IFI, and Omniplex, etc.  Might include options to link to the website to book tickets (or access this natively), to read reviews, or link to the Apple Trailer website to watch a trailer!

(b) Golden Pages (Business Directory) listing:  Search for a business/service, and click on the phone number to call, by integrating with the built in Phone Dialer.

(c) DART/LUAS/Dublin Bus Schedule.  In fact, there was a widget for OS X at one stage that provided a DART map showing the current location of the DART train on a DART map!  Amazing!  You could even state particular trains, trams and buses you use each day (such as the one to work) and receive an alert if it's delayed (by way of a badge icon on the App's icon - yet again, like the Mail app!).

(d) TicketMaster app:  Book tickets for gigs, concerts, the theatre and all that jazz (even jazz).  Again, it would probably be possible to submit credit card details and so forth without the need to access the actual site online.

(e) Restaurant Express:  This service is bloody wonderful!  You pick what you want to eat, and they drive all over the place, collecting what you want from the various restaurants they cover.  Again, nice, clean interface to submit credit card.  They menus could be made gorgeously eye-candyful (in that Apple way!) with pictures of the dishes, descriptions, and user submitted reviews.

Well, that's it!  If I even get half of these, I'll be dancing with a smile for a while.

If any of you have any other ideas for some great iPhone apps, I'd love to hear them!  Comment away.