Apple unveils iPhone software creation tools

CUPERTINO, California (Reuters) - Apple Inc on Thursday unveiled tools for outside developers to make software programs for its iPhone, a move intended to widen the appeal of the multifunction device.

"Starting today, we are opening up same native APIs and tools that we use internally to build all our iPhone applications. This means third-party developers can build native iPhone applications using the same (tools) that we do," said Scott Forstall, vice president of iPhone software.

The tools will let developers make programs that run directly on the iPhone, rather than have to run through the device's Web browser as Apple previously required.