Remember that $100 million iFund money-pie that was supposed to spark innovation amongst iPhone application developers? Right, well it seems that “sparking innovation” isn’t exactly how we’d describe the state of iPhone applications seeking iFund approval.
Since its inception, iFund has been flooded with 1,700 application submissions. But, only two of those iPhone applications have been approved to take a bite out of the iFund. The iPhone application Whrrl and iControl’s home-automation entry have been granted a piece of the iFund-pie.
Whrrl, from iPhone developer Pelago, is basically a location-based application that helps users find nearby businesses and places of interest. By integrating the iPhone’s location-mapping features (hopefully with GPS in the next-generation iPhone), Whrrl allows users to browse nearby businesses as well as reviews and recommendations.
iControl brings the convenience of remote-home access to the iPhone. The company makes Home Security 2.0, and the new iControl application is basically a mobile version designed for the iPhone. iControl puts the power of home automation in the palm of your hand. The application allows iPhone users to control appliances, electronics, and even view live video feeds wherever they may be.
We can’t wait to see what else lies in store for the AppStore when it launches next month. There will likely be a flood of half-baked iPhone applications on offer, so it will be nice if we see more than 0.112% (that’s 2 out of 1,700) of those application actually passing muster.
[Via: BusinessWeek]