The iPhone Opportunity

Today is the day! It’s debut day for the new iPhone 3G and all the world’s a queue. Wow! It’s a pretty bit of technology, but not without its complications. But, I’ll leave the many complications to the techie sites and I’ll focus here on the business opportunities the new iPhone presents.

IPHONE OPPORTUNITIES

Accessories - Like the iPod, the iPhone needs an outfit for every occasion, so feel free to design plenty and sell them everywhere. Carrying cases, headphones, especially the hands-free sort, and extra batteries will be in great demand, so create your own online store or get your stuff into Apple’s.

Applications - Apple’s added an App Store to the ever-expanding virtual aisles in the iTunes store. The App Store is filled with mini apps–utilities, games, maps and other goodies. Many, if not most, of the apps were designed by indie developers. For $99 you can upload your app for download and sale to the iPhone-using public. If your company employs 500+ folks and has designed proprietary apps for the iPhone, you’ll pay $299. The developer fees are well worth it given that that low price gets you plenty of eyeballs and access to big spenders.

Apply for the Developer Program

Even if you’re not a professional developer, you may be able to design a winning app using the tools and tutorials Apple’s assembled to encourage indie developers to fill the iTunes store.

Games - Games are technically applications, but they’re way more fun than calendars and maps. And, they’re poised to be a huge, breakout category for the iPhone. The best games will take advantage of the iPhone’s sensitivity to movement (the way pictures change direction when you change the iPhone’s orientation).

Start Your Own Company - Now, for the biggie!!! Big bucks venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers (KPCB) has established the iFund, a $100M venture fund to invest in companies building applications, services and components, especially those focused on the following areas: Location-based services, social networking, mCommerce (including advertising and payments), communication, and entertainment. KPCB doesn’t care what stage you’re in as long as your app, service or component is innovative.

Get a piece of the $100M pie

Other Opportunities - Even if you don’t want to do business with Apple and don’t qualify for KPCB’s venture capital, you can capitalize on the iPhone bonanza by developing your own apps and distributing them via free social networks like Facebook, advertising and participating in iPhone-related forums and good ol’ fashioned search advertising. You could even upload a podcast (free of charge) to direct iTunes users to your site.