iPhone SDK – First steps to start developing

I’m going to try to keep this short and sweet.

Free Sign-Up

Go to http://developer.apple.com/iphone

1. Click Log In
2. Sign up for an account if you haven’t already – it’s free. 
3. Logging in will get you access to the SDK and a whole bunch of documentation.
4. On a mac machine (OS X v10.5.3 or later), download and run the SDK.  Installing the SDK will give you the latest version of Xcode, an iPhone simulator, and Interface Builder (the visual editing tool).

At this point you can create applications and test them on the iPhone simulator.  However, the iPhone simulator doesn’t support the simulation of the accelerometer or the GPS.  Also, while you can develop applications now, you can’t distribute them through the app store, or get them on a phone without the phone being jailbroken.

Developer Program

The next step is to sign up for the payed-for version of the developer program.  Signing up for the developer program basically gives you the means to run your app through your physical iPhone for testing, as well as giving you the ability to distribute your application through the App Store.

1. Log in to your account at http://developer.apple.com/iphone
2. Look for the area on the right sidebar that talks about the iPhone developer program.  Click Apply Now and continue following instructions.

Wait-listed and Purchasing

At the time of this writing, following these steps will only add you to a waiting list.  When the wait is over they will contact you through email.  You’ll then have to purchase it through the apple store (they provide you a link).  Apple will send you a confirmation in email that you will have to read and click a link to activate your account.

iPhone Developer Program

When you log in to your account you will now see a section at the top of the right bar that says “iPhone Developer Program.” Click “Program Portal.”  At the bottom of the page you will see a section labeled “Portal and Program overview.”  Make sure to read these before you get started!

Important to Note: Some of the documentation in the Program Portal is out of date.  In the Devices > How To section under “Installing OS X iPhone” it talks about restoring your phone with a new operating system.  This documentation is dated before the iPhone 2.0 OS was released, and as long as your iPhone has been updated through iTunes, your phone should be in an acceptable state.  Skip this step.