User forums are pointing that the long-awaited software developer kit for the iPhone is ready to hit the street. In Apple CEO Steve Jobs' MacWorld address, he specifically said it would be ready at the "end of February." That's still 10 days away. More reports say that Apple is reaching out to iPhone hackers to help with the SDK release and 1.1.4 update.After all the blustering Apple did back in the fall about not supporting hacked iPhones, it seems an odd notion that Apple would use the iPhone hacking community for help. But that appears to be exactly what it is doing.

Over the weekend, one of those hackers went from being an unofficial third-party Installer.app developer to an official one. Tiny-Code.com posted this statement on its Web site:

We can't say much, but we are working with Apple and with their SDK for the next firmware release and SDK applications and we shouldn't be missed for long. We will no longer update our Installer.app repo for legality reasons and you should see us soon on iTunes.

This means that the company will no longer supply software to hack or support jailbroken 1.1.3 iPhones. The comment about iTunes confirms what many have believed for some time, that third-party applications will be available for the iPhone via the iTunes store. The site also referenced firmware 1.1.4 Alpha 2 in connection with the SDK, and it is believed that the new firmware may be required as part of the SDK.

Since putting up that message, Tiny Code was ordered to remove it by Apple. The site's main contributor said: "Yes, Tiny-Code.com was ordered to be removed from operation by Apple, Inc. because by releasing firmware versions and stating I had possession of the firmware and SDK was apparently a violation of the Non-Disclosure Agreement I agreed to when I accepted a copy of the SDK and firmware."

In any case, the SDK will be here soon. Whether or not users will have to install yet another firmware update to take advantage of any of the third-party apps is unknown. Nothing concerning any feature updates included in firmware 1.1.4 are known, either.

Only 10 days left to wait...