I understand Apple's stance that a controlled environment produces a richer and safer end-user experience. However, it is becoming apparent that this excuse may not be the only excuse, as a controlled environment also produces huge monetary results as evidenced by the billions of iPhone application downloads. In short, I agree with Apple's principle of controlling products in order to produce superior user experiences. However, that excuse falls flat when examining the "big picture", a company bent on reaping the monetary benefits of their hardware through using developer to "pimp" their products. In the end, it's all favorable to Apple. Certainly buyers have the right to purchase and vote with their dollars, however when iTunes is the sole vehicle for using said product, especially when music was not DRM free, it allowed Apple to become a big player and thus dictator in the entertainment industry. This eventually has lead to the current system that strongly favors Apple, a slow but miraculous victory over the consumer based market, making it virtually impossible for other players to succeed. Apple has won by thinking very long term in their products road maps, strong arming the industry without the industry even realizing. Bravo to Apple, very well played.
