When I code C for embedded hardware, I agree 80 is more than enough, but that's because that is a simple language and the artifacts always lead to smaller widths.

Now, try that in C++. You can loose 10+ chars to indentation (namespacing, etc) alone. I think the 80 chars puritanism is just plain idiotic, specially in some languages like Obj-C.

Take this kind of bureaucratic crap:

[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self selector:@selector(whateverChanged:) name:UITextViewTextDidChangeNotification object:nil];

If you start hard wrapping every long call you find you will end up with incredibly long files, filled with framework crap instead of useful information.