Just got a phone call an hour ago from an Apple rep: my software company has been accepted into the iPhone Developer Program.  Cool, considering the waiting list has stretched out to some 6 months:

Apple’s iPhone apps platform, launching on July 11, could be a big hit. But if you’re a developer who wants to cash in on it, we hope you’re patient — or have a hook-up at Apple.

We hear the waiting list to get accepted into Apple’s developer program is six months long. (That is, to be officially recognized as an iPhone developer, so you can submit your app to Apple for inclusion in the iPhone apps store.) Writing the app takes time, too, but you can start that whenever — Apple says 250,000 have already downloaded the iPhone software developers kit. And Apple will still need to review your app before it goes up for sale.

We assume that’s a soft waiting list — if you’re a huge software developer, or have good connections at Apple, you could probably get right in. But smaller or new companies waiting in line could potentially get shortchanged by missing out on Apple’s promotion around the official launch. (That said, if the iPhone apps store is anywhere near as successful as the iTunes music store, it probably won’t matter in the long run.)