Whether you’re upgrading to the iPhone 3G or not, the App Store is the iPhone’s most significant upgrade and is likely to push it beyond the competitors. Here’s how it works...

We all love the iPhone, that’s a given. But until recently there’s been that slight disappointment in the back of your mind. If not disappointment, then frustration. "Wouldn’t it be great if you could..." is usually the opener in these situations. The first iPhone offered us a set of apps, from Clocks to Calendars, and that was that. At the time the groundbreaking iPhone was enough to keep us happy, but now, over a year on, we want more. So, we get the iPhone 3G: better, faster, slimmer, with GPS and a number of other tweaks demanded by the user community. This is all well and good but, strangely enough, it’s a software update available on the original iPhone that has everyone going crazy for it. Now, when the age old "I wish my iPhone could..." statements start, the chances are a developer has thought the same thing. For example, we’ve been longing for a way to control iTunes and AppleTV with the iPhone and, with the launch of the App Store, the free app Remote solves the problem. Always wanted iChat on your device? It’s here and it’s free on the App Store. It’s this constant evolution of software and harnessing of the iPhone’s new features that takes the pressure off Apple to produce new features and simply let the developers do the job for them.

At launch there were only 400 approved iPhone Developers working on software for the App Store. Word is this has now been opened up to several thousand more, so we’re likely to see many new applications trickling down to Apple phones the world over in the next few months and beyond. One of the most notable elements of the developer program for the App Store is the level of control given to those making the software. They choose the price point and can therefore charge as much or as little as they want. In many cases developers have made applications available for free, including excellent software like the Facebook iPhone app, AOL Instant Messenger and Twitterific. Most apps cost around £5.99, but some run up as far as the £30 mark, putting them on a par with desktop applications in terms of price. Fortunately, these are very scarce and, for approximately the same amount as an iTunes movie rental, you can continue to add new and exciting features and utilities to your iPhone.

The developers kit also provides producers of games, apps and tools the opportunity to harness all of the iPhone’s key features, including GPS, 3G and the accelerometer used to move pictures and apps when the phone is held on its side. Unsurprisingly, game manufacturers like Sega and Freeverse have latched onto these features to provide Wii-like controls for some exciting games, like the much anticipated Super Monkey Ball. By tilting, shaking and rotating the phone a number of functions can be accessed in other apps too, such as the excellent Urbanspoon which suggests restaurants close to your GPS location when you shake the iPhone. The use of the iPhone 3G’s GPS positioning is one that many developers will look to make use of, with rumours of a full Sat Nav app for iPhone in the offing very soon.

So how does the App Store work? It works in two ways: through the phone and through iTunes. With a 10Mb cap for app downloads directly to the iPhone, some larger programs need to be downloaded via iTunes first and then synced to the iPhone. Also, any apps downloaded to the iPhone will be synced to iTunes so you can pick and choose which apps you want present – a handy feature for users of the smaller 8GB base model.

On the phone, the App Store is very similar to browsing the music store, with featured sections, app categories, top 25 apps and a search function. Also useful is the Updates feature, which provides automatic tweaks to apps provided by developers that will update on your phone when selected. Installing an app is as easy as clicking Install on the app’s information screen and entering your iTunes password. The app then appears on your homescreen, greyed out as it loads and installs. Once installation is complete you are free to use the app, and move it to another area on your homescreen by holding a finger down on the button until the icons begin to shake. There’s also a nifty Tell A Friend button, which prepares an email including the App Store link to the app you’re using so you can share the latest apps with your buddies.

Within iTunes the App Store is far more familiar, with a link from the iTunes Store homepage to a screen just the same as those found on music and movie pages within iTunes. Crucially, you can search far faster across the 500 or so applications currently available and categorise them more efficiently. This is most important when it comes to hunting down the free applications you have no excuse not to download. It’s also interesting to check out the Top Apps on the charts to see what’s doing well and, at time of writing, it’s not surprise to see Super Monkey Ball topping the list of paid apps.

Also useful on the Mac version of the App Store is the ability to see file sizes before downloading, unlike on the iPhone. There’s a 2GB limit for apps on the store, so you’re unlikely to be stung for disk space. But it’s worth keeping track of your app downloads as they soon add up. You will also notice a new section within iTunes’ Source Pane, entitled Applications. It’s no great shock that this is where your applications are displayed, but it’s worth noting that you will need to sync your phone to your iTunes enabled account before they will run on your iPhone. The same is true of removing apps, although you can also use the button holding technique to make icons shake and then press the ‘x’ over the app you wish to remove. On some occasions, either due to a dropped network connection or a bad sync, an app may have trouble loading. This can, of course, be removed from the iPhone. However, iTunes will also recognise that you have downloaded the app before, and will allow you to download it again – even for paid apps.

Another cool feature for iPhone apps is that you can listen to music from the iPhone’s iPod while using an application downloaded from the App Store.

The variety of applications available on the App Store is truly astounding for its first release, with more sure to come. Games are obviously one of the biggest draws for developers, with nearly 200 available at the App Store’s launch. Big guns like Sega, Vivendi and Pangea are all on board and look to use the iPhone as their outlet for mobile games. With a lite version of Mac OS X running on the iPhone, applications can be fairly complex and therefore performance and graphics are mightily impressive. It seems those developers who didn’t perhaps receive the returns they were after with devices like Nokia’s N-Gage are putting their eggs firmly in the iPhone’s potentially lucrative basket and growing consumer base.

Utilities are also booming on the iPhone, with free applications like Facebook for searching your social networking pages, and Shazam for detecting music by holding the iPhone next to a speaker. Even more advanced elements of existing pages, such as Facebook’s instant messaging service, are now catered for on the iPhone with the 3G connection speeding up instant messages. Also available is Truephone, a free app that allows you to route phonecalls via WiFi. Not only does this provide you with the option to make cheaper calls abroad or avoid roaming charges, the WiFi connection means you can even make calls when no cellphone signal is available. It surely won’t be long before Skype gets in on the iPhone game too, and therefore should worry a number of mobile phone networks who stand to lose out should VOIP (voice over IP) became prevalent on the iPhone.

Blogging has also become easier with the iPhone 3G. Not only does a faster connection mean quicker uploads, but there are a number of apps available on the App Store that help you make the most of your time away from the Mac. The most popular at present is TypePad Mobile. By connecting to your existing TypePad blogging account you can easily send blog posts and photos through the simple interface. Other blog applications are also available on the App Store, including ShoZu, which allows you to post images and text to your favourite social networking sites. Apple is sure to release an app for uploading to an iWeb blog very soon, but until that day there is a host of free and inexpensive alternatives.

GPS is the other essential draw for developers. Whether it’s GeoTagging photos (which the iPhone now does automatically if required), finding directions or looking up local services, there are plenty of apps to do just that. Granted, the iPhone’s Google Maps can do a lot of the work for you without the need to spend any money but, for a very small fee, there is a great selection of GPS harnessing applications that offer a wide range of tools. ActiveGuru’s Vicinity is a top pick at £1.79, and uses your GPS location to pinpoint local cafés, pubs, taxis and takeaways, and provides you with a distance in real time to help you find the nearest. Vicinity takes information from a number of online sources, so is very accurate and can even tell you about areas of local interest and sightseeing via Wikipedia. Via flickr you can even see photos taken in your surrounding area. The possibilities for GPS are almost limitless. Loopt is another example of Social Networking meeting Navigation. By locating your friends via GPS you can quickly arrange to meet at a location or service between the two of you, again located via GPS.

Music is a surprise star on the App Store, with a variety of apps for fans and enthusiasts alike. From guitar tuners to radio stations, all the way to the excellent Band by Moo-Cow-Music, there’s something for everyone. Band is a real treat for those with or without musical talent. Effectively a mini-recording studio, the application offers a piano, drum kit, bass guitar and 12-bar blues guitar section that has to be seen to be believed. By running your finger across the interface you can quickly record individual parts and record extras alongside them. You can then save your song to impress your friends. At £5.99 it’s not the cheapest of apps, but it’s certainly worth the money after a few minutes play.

The App Store is, without a doubt, the best thing to have ever happened to the iPhone. Not only does it provide a fun timewaster when you’ve got a few minutes to kill, but it also expands the functionality of the iPhone, the extent of which has yet to be realised. Of course, Apple stands to do well out of the App Store as well. While it may not be taking the full whack for the apps it sells on the store, the ease of use of the SDK and the amazing iPhone features to work with will surely lure some major players in the software game. Even, dare we say it, those who don’t develop for the Mac. This is the strategy and it looks set to work very well. Show people the ‘Mac way’ and they will follow, right the way to developing full blown applications for Mac OS X. That’s what Apple is hoping at least. Business aside, the App Store is a phenomenon. It’s as impressive as the iTunes Music Store was, and even more so considering the substantially fewer iPhone owners by comparison to those buying iPods over the years.

The excitement of the App Store is one part new applications and one part expectation of just what could be around the corner. Remember, most of the developers who have launched iPhone apps have only had the SDK a few months. Just imagine what could be arriving on your phone in a year or so? Also on this page we’ve listed the five apps you HAVE to download from the store straight away, but aside from these, part of the fun is looking around and sampling what the App Store has to offer. We’ll be covering more applications next issue and, if the trend continues as expected, for many issues to come. So fire up that iPhone, be it a 3G or an original running the iPhone 2.0 Software update, and start exploring the store.