In a surprising move today, Apple has dropped the NDA from the iPhone SDK. Whether it was Steve Jobs listening on our podcast, or just plain badgering from the rest Apple community, the NDA is out of this world. Well, not entirely.

The NDA has created too much of a burden on developers, authors and others interested in helping further the iPhone’s success, so we are dropping it for released software. - Apple Developer Connection

The NDA will remain in effect for unreleased software and features, which covers all those applications that Apple rejects from the App Store. The new agreement will allow only released applications from sharing code and discussing app development in online communities. It will also allow for training manuals for iPhone, one of which was on hold only because of the NDA.

This, and the App Store review policy changes are signs that Apple is listening to the community, and changing for the better.

The full text of the notice after the jump

To Our Developers

We have decided to drop the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) for released iPhone software.

We put the NDA in place because the iPhone OS includes many Apple inventions and innovations that we would like to protect, so that others don’t steal our work. It has happened before. While we have filed for hundreds of patents on iPhone technology, the NDA added yet another level of protection. We put it in place as one more way to help protect the iPhone from being ripped off by others.

However, the NDA has created too much of a burden on developers, authors and others interested in helping further the iPhone’s success, so we are dropping it for released software. Developers will receive a new agreement without an NDA covering released software within a week or so. Please note that unreleased software and features will remain under NDA until they are released.

Thanks to everyone who provided us constructive feedback on this matter.

[Via TUAW]