In just a few short weeks, the iPhone development community created some fantastic software for the iPhone, from the sublime to the ridiculous. Some of the innovations fill holes in the iPhone's functionality. They add tools like the ability to connect wireless GPS to the excellent Google maps on the iPhone or bring instant messaging to the phone. They fix feature gaps, like allowing you to have all your applications work sideways on the phone, not just the web browser. This is key, because it gives you a larger keyboard to type on.

Others allow you to change the look of the phone or add "pirate costumes" to your photography subjects as you snap the picture.

There's a lot of innovation and play on the phone going on, with new applications appearing for the device, created for free by enthusiasts all across the world.

Up till now, all of that innovation had been quashed by Apple. When the phone was released, the company's initial policy was to prevent independent developers from creating software for the phone.

Apple did publish information on how to write software for the phone's web browser, which limits the abilities one could create for the phone and renders the new programs useless unless there's an internet connection available. This meant that people who wanted to make the exciting new device better had to hack the system against Apple's wishes.

Apple would issue software upgrades to the iPhone, and then the hackers would unlock the phone again. There was an immense user base improving Apple's product every day, but the company seemed to prefer to keep it flawed. Does this make sense? Why would Apple do it?

One reason, which Apple itself has put forward, is that the company is concerned about cell-phone viruses and other malicious software being developed for the phones. Viruses have been created for cell phones that jump from phone to phone via the Bluetooth connections that phones can make to each other or to personal computers they are paired with.

But a second reason that Apple might have discouraged the innovators is that phones are different animals from computers. They need to be able to work in case of emergencies, and cell phones are constrained by the FCC (or international equivalents) and perhaps by the deals Apple has made with the cell-phone carriers it has partnered with. Certainly some of the hackers have been focused on getting the phone to work with service providers other than AT&T, which puts a dent in AT&T's exclusive contract with Apple.

The third reason is that culturally, Apple has preferred to keep an iron hand on its products as long as possible. It did this to protect its look and feel, but that often constrained the company as much as its users. A notable exception to this is Apple's dashboard system for widgets (small programs that add minimal, though useful, functionality for small tasks) that are created by an open community.

All that said, on October 17 Apple reversed its decision to keep the phone locked down. A statement from CEO Steve Jobs on the Apple web site made it clear: "Let me just say it: We want native third party applications on the iPhone...."

This week Jobs announced a potential February release date for a software developers program. While short term this may not stop developers from hacking the phone, it may well put an end to the software skirmishes once February comes. Jobs' letter says that the delay is due to Apple's desire to keep the phone as open as possible while building in enough virus and malicious software protection to keep it safe for consumers to use.

So twice in the past few months, Apple has made major changes regarding the iPhone and its users. First was the price drop and then the quick rebate for early adopters. This one is the second. It proves that when Apple makes a misstep, it fixes it quickly and publicly.

The best news is that there will be continuous innovation on a groundbreaking piece of technology, and perhaps even a new market for independent programmers to sell product for the iPhone.