Huh? Neither one of those is "open."
I was referring to the relative openness of the PC hardware platform, not of Windows.
I think the larger reason is to assure compatibility with their carrier contracts - For example, NetShare is one of the apps that got booted off the store, because it shared the cellular data connection through the wifi to allow tethering of one or more computers. That's specifically disallowed in AT&T's contracts (and pretty much everyone else's too) so they had to ditch it.
Of course.
Sooner or later, the AT&T contract will be up and I bet there'll be a lot more leniency at that point.
....
They've improved greatly, then - I switched from Verizon to AT&T in 06 and there was a noticeable improvement in coverage (and since I was traveling nationwide at the time, that phenomenon is not localized). Really, both VZ and AT&T have bigger, better networks than anyone else but like I said, there was a noticeable improvement when I switched to AT&T.
I have nothing against AT&T. The last time I dealt with them, however, the service was less-than-wonderful. Now it's clearly better, although I knew nothing specific about the changes in the network until today. But then again, neither do most other potential customers, I would suspect. In any case, my point, simply stated, is that people who are happy with their present providers are less likely to switch to another absent some compelling feature. I didn't find any when I looked at the iPhone.
Tying developer's hands how? They've clearly spelled out what will not be allowed in the app store, and anyone who develops such apps anyway is foolish.
....
I still don't quite understand what you mean by this... That you have to develop on the Mac?
Yes, by requiring that development be done on the Mac. I don't get the need for exerting that much control over the
process, as long as the
result meets the requirements. Windows is far from an open system, but even Microsoft doesn't
require that you use Windows to develop Windows apps.
Furthermore, why should what can be installed be limited to what is available in Apple's store? If I paid for and own the blasted thing, why should I be limited to also buying software through Apple? Do similar restrictions apply to Palm or Windows-based PDA phones? (My question is not rhetorical. I've never had any experience with either one.)
Even if one concedes that tighter quality controls are needed on a cell phone (it is a radio transceiver, after all), that need could be satisfied by a review / certification process of the finished software product. Requiring that the developer use only Apple's tools seems to me more than can be justified in the name of quality. Are their tools are so advanced that it's impossible to develop crappy applications when using them?
There is some stuff I wish you could do - For example, while I really like the built-in alarm clock (part of the Clock app) for the most part, there are some improvements that could be made. However, a 3rd-party app will also lose some functionality - The built-in alarm clock will wake the phone or even power it on from being completely shut off. Until some of the controls are relaxed, it won't be possible for a 3rd-party app to do that.
I would expect that as time goes on, we'll see those controls being relaxed. Apple is trying to ensure a good user experience, and an app that misbehaves can cause all kinds of headaches. While I'm not a big fan of those policies, I can see why they're there.
I defer to you, as I have no direct experience with the machine.
I'm curious when this was that you looked? Before the app store, I could agree. With the app store, there's darn near anything you could possibly want.
Shortly (as in a few weeks, or maybe a month or so) after the first version of the iPhone was released. My contract with Verizon was near its end, and I was debating other options, including the iPhone. I also considered the Helios Ocean, which would have saved me a few bucks a month; and various phones / PDAs from T-Mobile.
In the end, I stayed with Verizon because nothing about the iPhone (nor the Ocean, nor anything from T-Mobile, for that matter) was compelling enough to persuade me to switch from a provider whose service had always worked well for me.
The other factor was that as my contract's expiration drew nigh, Verizon's offers got more and more generous, until I wound up getting the LG Voyager for free after rebate. No, the Voyager has no third-party app support (BitPim notwithstanding); and no, its built-on apps aren't anything spectacular (although they are functional). But the Voyager didn't cost me anything other than renewing a contract that I was inclined to renew, anyway.
-Rich
