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Wednesday, October 01, 2008, 12:00 pm
Apple drops iPhone NDA for released software
Responding to widespread criticism, Apple said Wednesday that it has decided to do away with its non-disclosure agreement (NDA) for released iPhone software while it drafts a new agreement covering just non-released software."We put the NDA in place because the iPhone OS includes many Apple inventions and innovations that we would like to protect, so that others don’t steal our work. It has happened before," the company said in a statement on its iPhone developer site.
"While we have filed for hundreds of patents on iPhone technology, the NDA added yet another level of protection. We put it in place as one more way to help protect the iPhone from being ripped off by others."
Apple went on to acknowledge that the iPhone NDA "has created too much of a burden on developers, authors and others interested in helping further the iPhone’s success, so we are dropping it for released software."
The Cupertino-based company is currently drafting a new agreement without an NDA covering released software that developers will have to sign later this month.
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Previous Comments View All
As long as this doesn't enable others to rip off Apple's code and concepts, it's a nice step forward and one less thing the usual tech media pundits will have to nag about.
This is great news - not just for the development of iPhone apps, but also to show that Apple can listen. Too much in the recent past it has given the impression that it is oblivious to the very valid complaints of its customers and developers - but this move, together with the change on app reviews announced a few days ago shows Apple in a much better light.
Oh, and btw, I freakin' LOVE my iPhone 
"None Disclosure Agreement"
Wow.
I like how all the comments here are actually positive.
If you go over to MDN or Engadget it's all pissy stuff and juvenile "About blooddy time!" kind of comments.
I like how all the comments here are actually positive.
Typical Apple fanboys!
Two down, one to go.
I like how all the comments here are actually positive.
If you go over to MDN or Engadget it's all pissy stuff and juvenile "About blooddy time!" kind of comments.
It is though!
This is good and all, but who approved that writing? Awful copy 
\.
This is good and all, but who approved that writing? Awful copy
\.It's never good to use phrases like "ripped off" in official company communications. The letter comes across as whining.
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