In June of 2007, Apple released what is now known as the Original iPhone. At the time people were amazed at the must have technology due to its advancements in multi-touch screens, the sleek and shiny design among many other reasons.

At the time of the Original iPhone release, there was no iOS, no developer platform and not even and SDK for developers to write apps with. Apple released the new smart phone with high hopes of apps being created on the web and then bookmarked to the home screen of the device.

Steve Jobs is quoted saying that, “web applications could behave the same as native apps on the iPhone device“.

This did not go over very well with many and especially some in the Open Source Community (Apple? Open Source Community? Who would have ever thought!) The open source community and a group of hackers took it upon themselves to jail break the iPhone, get access to various code libraries and APIs which allowed them to start developing native iPhone apps.

Fast forwarding approximately a year, Apple decided to reverse their decision about creating a public SDK for developers to use and create native apps. Apple then moved onto creating a platform in which apps could be purchased and distributed known as the App Store.

Today, there is approximately 245,000 active apps available in Apple’s US App Store to download and purchase; and approximately 49,199 active App publishers.

There is a powerful story here that I believe governments and their agencies of all sizes and types can learn from. The underlying message of Apple’s iPhone and platform story is that whether or not you like it, Open Data and Open Government philosophies have and will continue to start being practiced and adopted. I believe that these Governments and their agencies must start embracing and adopting such movements now before it is too late.

Elaine Gamble, Director of Communications, of the City of London, said during the Board of Control Meeting which the Open Data Motion was on the agenda and passed unanimously, was exactly this.

Whether or not they (Governments and their agencies) like it and embraces it, Citizens like David Eaves (data(dot)gc.ca), those at rTraction (eatsure.ca), Mike Mulley (Open Parliament), myself (http://www.nextstopapp.com/), and may others, will continue to move forward with Open Data and Open Government practices whether it is liked and embraced or not. Start adopting these practices now before it is too late.

[Apple US App Store Statistics received from 148apps.biz/app-store-metrics/]