I am thinking more about how Apple blocked flash on their platform to give their own App Store a leg up, and we all cheered Apple for it back then.
Would the App Store have taken off if Apple had been committed to “openness” and supported flash and left it to fate to decide which standard would ultimately prevail? Maybe, maybe not. The point is - Apple was astute to not have left anything up to chance. No successful business does.
Apple stacked the deck like any master strategist would and left nothing to chance. The way I see it, this whole matter has never been about “options”, but but retaining control of your own platform.
Because an Apple which remains firmly in control is an Apple that always wins. No matter how strong the competition.
I was a Flash dev back then and I assure you many of us did not cheer. Now Java on the other hand? Good riddance.
The context has changed since then. iPhone should be more open. A lot more open.