You can build your own iPhone app and test it for free
Along with the streamlined Apple Developer Program, Cupertino is making it easier for people to build apps and sign them for use on their own iOS devices. Previously, you needed to register as a developer to test your apps on your device, but Apple has dropped that requirement.
Hopeful developers can now use the public iOS SDK available in Xcode on the Mac App Store. You can even download and install Xcode 7 beta without an Apple Developer account, and start learning programming in Swift or other APIs for the iOS ecosystem.
This is an important milestone, because it will make it easier for budding developers to get their feet wet and test their apps on their own devices. The membership requirement was sometimes a deterrent to developers, but now anybody can get started quickly, easily, and for free.