If you think that things like the iPhone (and other brand/model specific fads) are here to stay, you really need to back off and take some history lessons.
Secondly, I don't mean that "consumer oriented" apps aren't here to stay, no, I meant what I said. That with the iPhone fad, Apple has managed to make it perfectly fine to have the becoming even more tied in than previously. It's suddenly perfectly fine, now that Apple is doing, but if you saw something even resembling this from Microsoft, you guys would be all over it.
If Apple had had more influence and much more brawn, they would have been slapped down hard because of abuse of monopoly. They aren't big enough for that, though, but they have managed to set a precedence where it's okay to offer very limiting options for the consumer and in effect tie them down completely. What the hell happened to catering to the consumer by offering them good products instead of giving them something to distract them with while you shove a porcupine up their rear?
Sony, a much [edit: BIGGER] company than Apple, tried limiting their consumers (ATRAC, if anyone remembers that) fortunately people woke up and competitors took a chance. Thereamong Apple. Now they themselves are acting at least as bad towards the consumer. But that's okay, "because this is not a fad". No, I guess people will forever be pleased with not only limited offers, but limiting offers.
In short, this is what I think about the "The iPhone is not a fad":
