Привет всем после долгой борьбы, я обнаружил, что следующий код работает
self.dataSource = [[NSMutableArray alloc]init]; // dataSouce is delared in .h file
ABAddressBookRef addressBook = ABAddressBookCreate();
NSMutableArray *allPeople = (NSMutableArray *)ABAddressBookCopyArrayOfAllPeople(addressBook);
int nPeople = ABAddressBookGetPersonCount(addressBook);
for(int i=0; i < nPeople; i++ ){
ABRecordRef person = [allPeople objectAtIndex:i];
NSString *name = @"";
if(ABRecordCopyValue(person, kABPersonFirstNameProperty) != NULL)
name = [[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@", ABRecordCopyValue(person, kABPersonFirstNameProperty)] stringByTrimmingCharactersInSet:[NSCharacterSet whitespaceCharacterSet]];
[dataSource addObject: name];
}