Why Apple wants to control the iPhone platform? [Opinion]

As an iPhone owner, I am sure many of you are upset with Apple’s desire to control (or should we say dictate) what you experience on your iDevices (iPhone and iPods). Think about it – you cannot play with the device you want (underutilizing the powers of your device), you cannot replace the battery yourself (pay $100 to replace a battery that costs under $10), you cannot use it with other carriers, you cannot install apps that do not have Apple’s blessings (e.g., Cycorder), etc. Controlling the user experience is probably every device manufacturer’s dream, but does it really make sense and is Apple following the right approach???

Apple and others on Apple’s behalf have made several arguments in support of their strategy to control every aspect of their device, including the hardware (battery, screen, etc.) and the software (OS, apps, etc.) that runs on it. Let us look in to these arguments in a little more detail:

1. Work as expected – The primary argument in Apple’s support is that this way Apple can make sure that your devices work the way they are expected to work. Great…but, is this the best way?? When you buy a computer, does your computer manufacturer stop you from upgrading your computer’s memory or hard disk capacity? Does Microsoft stop you from installing software (even betas) on your machine? NO, they don’t. They have recommended usage guidelines and expect consumers to follow them. If the consumers (for some reason) install a Beta version of a software and ends with a corrupted Windows, they do not blame Microsoft or their computer manufacturers. Only the savvy users will experiment with their devices and they are well aware of the implications.
   Apple can just issue usage guidelines and most users will follow them religiously. In such cases, the device should anyways work as expected. In cases where the users decide to deviate (e.g., jailbreak or unlock), they know what they are getting into and will not blame Apple if things go wrong.
   Even in case of apps, Apple can have an “Apple certified” seal for apps that pass through Apple’s stringent guidelines. However, the users should be free to run any app on the platform with an understanding that if things go wrong, its not Apple’s fault.
2. Prevent the revenue losses of the developers – The other reason could be that Apple wants to prevent the loss of revenue for the thousands of developers developing apps for the App store (remember, if you have a jailbroken phone, you can virtually install any app for FREE). Ohh, so Apple cares about its developers!! From the app store approval process, it does not appear so. Apple’s approval process seems to be inconsistent, unfair, and strange – ruling out this hypothesis.
   Even if Apple did, it is not Apple’s responsibility to ensure that users are not able to install cracked apps on their devices. Is it Microsoft’s responsibility that I only install legit software on my machine. The developers must be able to build sufficient protection in their apps to prevent cracking, why should they need Apple’s support. In fact, by providing them this kind of support, Apple is removing the incentives for the developers to develop strong apps. The relationship between Apple and the App developers is a pure commercial one. The developers continue to work on the Apple platform as they are still making money from it and not because of any emotional attachment with Apple.
3. Ensure hardware compatibility – For hardware related issues, Apple may want to ensure that the hardware is capable to support the software. Wondering what kind of special components does Apple use in its devices such that only Apple can repair its devices. Once again, does your computer manufacturer prevent you from upgrading your computer’s memory or hard disk capacity? When you buy a battery or other component from the grey market (read counterfeit), you automatically lower your expectations, e.g., compatible ink cartridges, compatible batteries. Most manufacturers provide a list of certified suppliers or repair shops – wondering what stops Apple from doing that…

Apple could still probably have its way if it was giving everything for free or was owning the responsibility to help its users in case things go wrong, but none of this is true!! Consumers pay a huge sum of money to own the iDevice (yes, you do…calculate the total cost of ownership and you will be surprised) and so they should be free to play around with their devices with the understanding that if things go wrong they are responsible for it. Apple has this wonderful restore feature which takes care of most of the problems that can arise. Secondly, Apple does not even help us if any app does not work or crashes for whatever reasons (see the reviews in the App store). So Apple only wants the benefits of controlling the hardware but does not pay the price for it. Shouldn’t Apple help the users to get the app running or at least help them get their money back.

To me, none of the reasons are compelling enough. To me, the primary motivation does not seem to control the user experience, but to prevent it’s loss of revenue stream that would result from opening up the platform.

1. Apple makes tons of money of the device activations from AT&T and from the sales of apps in the app store.
2. If they make jailbreaking easier, AT&T will not pay them the huge kickbacks nor would they make the huge commissions off the app store. Thus, opening up the platform could mean a significant loss of revenue for Apple.
3. Finally, this could just be a result of Apple’s laziness. iPhones or iPods are extremely powerful devices (for their size) and Apple is preventing users to take full advantage of its powers. Instead of making their devices/OS strong to handle such uses, Apple has chosen an easier route to allow only certain things on its devices so as to avoid the trouble of making the device more secure.

We might never know what is the actual motivation, but I am quite convinced there is nothing noble about it. In my mind, it is a purely commercial decision. Let me know what you think about it…

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