faethor said:
There's the Camera USB dongle for an additional $30. You just get nickeled and dimed for the things people want. Like a camera.
Agreed.
Apple seems to be successful at locking the market to only what they will. If Microsoft did the same thing they'd get sued. IMO, the EU needs to investigate Apple, too.
I'm not sure. While I'm not defending Apple's "lock down" of hardware and software (I do understand it), there is a subtle but substantial difference.
With the desktop OS, Apple doesn't actively work to prevent other programs from working correctly or being installed. You write it, you distribute it, you can install it. Microsoft has historically played dirty tricks, like making it nearly impossible to NOT use their Internet Explorer, or making it difficult to install Netscape / Firefox, etc. Same with audio and video players.
Buying into the "stability" argument, mobile devices (phones, iPods, iPads) are a little different. Their marketing idea is to attract developers to the program by providing essentially a "cash cow machine" wherein people write programs, then sell them through the App store.
Is that tied down? Absolutely, but strategically it's a brilliant idea, as it frees up developers to write instead of having to worry about building web sites and distribution. Not saying it's right, I'm saying it sucks, but that's the way it is.
If the EU, or any other organization were to come after Apple, it will probably be because Apple doesn't allow for "third-party stores", but then again, Apple doesn't really seem to care if you jailbreak your phone to use the other side's store, so they're technically allowing you the option.
Correction. Apple cares, but only to the extent that they will patch the holes in the OS that they consider security flaws. Other flaws, like the one used to break the iPad in two hours, have gone unfixed for at least 9 months so far.
To try and guess / paraphrase Apple's stance,
"Use our Apple store and get what we consider to be stable products, or break your phone and use whatever you want, but we don't have to support your phone once broken."
Again, not trying to defend Apple, because I'd love to try some of the apps that only exist in the jailbroken store, but if I'm right above, I really don't have a problem with that type of stance.
(I wonder how many of you will realize that Apple's App store and process is EXACTLY what Bill McEwen was trying to do with his dream of turning "the Amiga" into a cellphone company...?)
