500 iPhone Applications to Launch Thursday

500 iPhone applications will debut Thursday in the biggest launch of Steve Jobs career.

Steve Jobs tells USA Today that "The reaction has been so strong. So many developers responded. This is the biggest launch of my career."

"When IBM introduced the PC, it was good, but it didn't take off until people started discovering the software," Steve says. The breadth of the applications "dramatically differentiates the iPhone" from competing smartphones such as the Treo and BlackBerry, he adds.

"The games are what you'd find on a computer, not on a phone," he says. "You'll end up with PC-class applications that fit in your pocket."

"You do more of the work on the device than over the Net, so the load time should be quicker," he says.

Steve also said that 25% of the applications will be free, and 90% of the ones for sale will be $9.99 or less. Apple gets 30% of the revenue.

>>> App Store for iPhone already a hit with developers