OpenClip is/was an open framework for implementing the Cocoa NSPasteboard functionality to the iPhone. OpenClip was an effort to work around the limitations of OS X on the iPhone by allowing apps to read/write between each other. Apple is dissabling that feature in future firmwares.
Herr Gruber pointed out that OpenClip used a loophole that allowed applications to read the sandboxes of other apps, allowing them to share data. However this seems to be a violation of the Terms of Use of Apples SDK. The upcoming firmware 2.1 will not allow that.
Apps that use OpenClip will no longer be able to copy and paste between applications. However, applications can still utilize a persistent way to store data inside the application, meaning that copy and paste within the app will still work fine. And on top of that, apps that utilize only one form (either copy or paste) can disable interface elements when Apple axes OpenClip.
OpenClip was never supposed to be a longterm solution, but rather an example of how easy it could be done. A sort of “In your face” move to Apple. Let’s hope that Apple realizes how easy it was to implement and use and will make this framework available to developers and native apps in the iPhone OS.
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