Watching Apple become Microsoft (Steve Jobs of Borg)

Filed Under Developers, Industry | 1 Comment

I own an iPhone and I am pretty happy with it, but something is starting to change about how I perceive Apple; It reminds me of Microsoft a few years back. I was happy with Dos, Windows 95 and Windows XP too. There was a time when Microsoft was great, they had the best gaming, the best productivity software, a relatively easy development platform and simple workplace integration with their products! But things started changing when Microsoft used their success to push their own interests, instead of focusing on the consumers interest. If you have been reading the news lately, it seems that Apple is doing exactly the same things.

I probably would never have bought Podcaster, but it irks me that I can’t because Apple told me not to. It seems like the jail break market is going to keep growing until Apple decides to give people some freedom.

Here are things that I think are critical to staying “good” in the consumer’s eyes:

1) Stop the anti-competitive behavior. If someone writes better software than you, let them. Learn from it. And stop blocking them from the app store.

2) Don’t put your consumers into unfair licenses that they must obey. Bricking their phone for not following your EULA is not right. You don’t have to provide them with tech support once they do it. But forcing them to conform!

On a side note, I’m happy Android won’t require approval for their app store! Blackberry, Symbian and Windows Mobile don’t have restrictions either.