iPhone SDK Available Now, $100m in VC Funding for iPhone Software Development

I’ve been following Engadget’s reporting of Apple’s iPhone press conference. Developers can download the SDK now, Exchange and SDK update support for the iPhone coming in June. iPod Touch users will have to pay for the update. Didn’t they just pay for an update a couple of months ago? What’s up with that?

All apps to be distributed through Apple’s App Store, accessible directly through the iPhone / iPod Touch. Buy / Download / Update through the iPhone via cell or WiFi. Developers set the price and keep 70%, Apple keeps / takes 30%. Free apps won’t cost developers anything to distribute through the App Store.

With this news, and VC firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers starting iFund with $100m in funding for companies developing iPhone apps, Apple just grabbed the UMPC / MID market and took it away.

Where was the Tablet PC $100m funding to jumpstart development? I don’t recall hearing of VC companies seeing the long view in Tablet PC and starting a $100m VC fund campaign. I do remember Microsoft’s Think In Ink $100k contest, though. Developers will be flocking to develop apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch, and not just because of the VC funding opportunities. The market opportunity is huge and there is a clear driver for the platform.

UPDATE: As of this writing, Apple’s developer.apple.com site is down, and has been down for hours, due to the requests for the SDK.