The Electronic Frontiter Foundation (EFF), an electronic rights activist group, has recently labeled the iPhone and iPad app ecosystem as a "crystal prison" for developers and end-users. The EFF's main justifications for this conclusion include Apple's content filters, restrictions on code usage (like ones tapping into AirPlay uninvited), and limiting developers to using Apple's payment infrastructure (though some devs seem pretty happy with the current set-up).
Much of the essay harps on the necessity to jailbreak an iPhone to have full control of the device. The EFF posits that Apple's primary motivation to maintaining this degree of control is to lock down their 30% cut from sales, but I have trouble agreeing with that since Apple openly admitted that they pretty much break even on App Store costs. To amend the situation, the EFF proposes that four core rights are granted to end-users.
- Installation of arbitrary applications on the device. If the user wishes to, they should not be limited to what is included in one particular proprietary "app store."
- Access to the phone OS at the root/superuser/hypervisor/administrator level. If consumers wish to examine the low-level code that is running in their pockets, to check for invasions of privacy, run the anti-virus software of their choice, join VPNs, install firewalls, or just tinker with their operating systems, phone and device companies have no legitimate basis for preventing this.
- The option to install a different OS altogether. If people want to install Linux on their iPhones, Boot to Gecko on their Windows phones, or just run a different version of Android on their Android phones, the company that sold them the hardware must not prevent them. Using a cryptographic bootloader to defend against malware is a fine idea, but there must be a way to reconfigure this security mechanism to (1) allow an alternative OS to be installed; and (2) to offer the same cryptographic protections for the alternative OS.
- Hardware warranties that are clearly independent of software warranties. Apple denies warranty coverage to users who have jailbroken their iPhones. While nobody is asking Apple to support jailbroken or modified software, it is inexcusable that the company threatens not to cover, say, a faulty screen, if the customer has chosen to modify the software on their device.
For all of its criticisms, the EFF openly admits that Apple may not be the worst perpetrator in closed operating systems, and that writing software for mobile before iOS was considerably worse, but that Apple is still in a position to raise the bar. After all, "no place, and no system, can be perfect if it denies its citizens the freedom to change it, or the freedom to leave."
This issue doesn't come as much of a surprise to anyone who has become involved with Apple products; it's hard not to get an iPhone and Mac and not know that from here on in, you're expected to do things The Apple Way.
To be honest, this attitude is exactly what traditionally turned me off from Apple products, but as we all know, a crystal prison is still a pretty nice place to hang out.
I'm mostly interested in the idea that Apple necessarily has to be the restrictive (but safe and polished) option, and Android is by default the free, open, and chaotic developer playground. I get the distinct impression that developing on iOS isn't nearly as bad as it's made out to be by folks like the EFF, and that Android isn't as open as Google might like you to think. Devs, care to weigh in? Jailbreakers, how happy would you be to see Apple formally adopt something like this digital bill of rights?
Reader comments
iOS slammed as "crystal prison" by Electronic Frontier Foundation
How could such a forward-thinking organization be so backward in their criticism?
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As long as Apple doesn't have to support/fix what phone buyers do to their phones.
All Apple has to do is to show someone how to restore the IDevice back to a default state.
Unles you agree to pay Apple to fix your screw ups.
basically if you install another os on your iDevice, you are on your own, Jack!
I can see a huge new market for user fixer uppers. Please insert your Visa card in the slot provided, Thank You.
In Steve words, "Somebody just want to have 15 minutes of heat and attention". Most ridiculous article ever written. Clearly display jealousy and bias. If consumers aren't nagging about it, why should this self-proclaimed "right activist" protest? Utter nonsense. Please.
This gets old, it's every time Apple has a WWDC, an announcement or even a death in the organization that we hear a blast from them about being a secured prison, a walled in garden, an electronic handcuff or whatever they choose to call it each time.
They are entitled to their opinion but to make demands LOL.
I certainly prefer the walled in garden system with the app store. I don't want to find something arbitrarily installed simply by visiting a website by chance because it was shortened link on twitter or facebook or anywhere else.
Same think when it comes to the OS. If I want to boot to Linux then I would get a phone that is capable of running Linux. I purchase an Apple iPhone specifically because I want a phone using iOS, I don't want to buy an iPhone to run Windows, Linux, Android or any other operating system I want it to run Apple's iOS!
Blah Blah Blah
Leave me to sit in my little crystal prison and if you don't like the crystal prison then go get your Android device and then your have a downloaded app that doesn't work correctly or infects your phone with a virus then that's your business.
Well said! Every individual is subjected to their own preference. It's exactly this "crystal prison" that gave us the freedom to be creative and be productive in more ways then initially thought possible.
Kind of funny, since iOS has had two such exploits in the wild, and Android none.
"The EFF posits that Apple's primary motivation to maintaining this degree of control is to lock down their 30% cut from sales, but I have trouble agreeing with that since Apple openly admitted that they pretty much break even on App Store costs."
This seems like a silly thing to say. If they break even then removing that 30% charge would put the App Store in the red, right?
Aren't you saying the same thing?
Apple takes 30% to run its iTunes business: buy the servers and other hardware, pay the cost of financial transactions, pay the cost of bandwidth, pay the army of folks to run the business, pay for the facilities to house the people and the hardware, etc. They should take enough to be comfortably profitable (which I think they do) to maintain the health of the business.
If they only take say 15% and run in the red half the time, that sounds stupid to me.
Now, the reason for the lockdown? It's not the 30% revenue cut. It's to protect the platform which is a force multiplier for sales of iOS devices. That's the gist of it. That does mean forging as many user dependencies on apps, iOS services, accessories as much as possible. Having iOS open leaves the door open for someone to come in and undermine the power of the platform. The kicker is that it is closed to protect against real sharks like MS and Google and baby sharks no one knows about. The FOSS/FSF guys are basically little fish in the big pond that they reluctantly play with every once in a while, and that's about it.
The problem with the FSF, FOSS, and the EFF's stance here is still very much cultural. Digital freedom is not a meaningful attribute to the masses. Apple, Microsoft, other closed device vendors provide a product the serves the needs of the masses. If the masses want digital freedom, maybe it would be different, but it isn't.
30% cut? The EFF clearly doesn't understand the lock on the crystal prison.
The iPhone isn't for power users. It's for the mundane user who wants consistency, reliability, and no need to think about their device Emphasis on "No need to think". It is locked down to assure this, and the revenue finances Apple to maintain the Eco-system, from app to iCloud.
Except for unlocking a device, none of the iPhone users I know (except me who is the JB power user), wants or even cares for anything beyond stock. That's a lot of people.
Steve was brilliant,and he served the 99.99% paradise in a crystal prison.
true, that's why you can see many elderly people at apple store shopping for iphones. My mom (65 y.o) got comfortable with using her ipad within a few days
I did jailbreak it for her anyway :) to make it even easier :)
Just more android fanboys hating on apple.
If you don't like iT, just get an android.
But the next time your brother has to remove his battery while driving to get his jacked up/modded android to give us GPS directions, I will laugh a second time, and then just ask Siri like I did first time..
where did you get that from? i never had to remove the battery from my phone to reboot it. because there was never a need to reboot it... i did use to do it with my blackberries though... 4 years ago...
EFF is a great org that seems to feel the need to troll Apple to get attention, which is sad.
If you buy an Apple product, you know what you're getting. There's no bait and switch. You're not told it's 100% open only to find out otherwise when you bought it.
EFF feels they should be able to go to a three-star Michelin restaurant, kick the kitchen door in, and demand to cook their only meal.
Sorry, that's why we have supermarkets.
The iPhone is the French Laundry, not Safeway.
EFF's expectations are completely off.
You are putting words in the EFF's mouth. They never said there was a bait-and-switch involved. They said openness is a good thing, and put forward a list of suggestions Apple could adopt in service of that good. Nothing more, nothing less.
I guess it is convenient for you to further dismiss their words as trolling, but the EFF is not trolling Apple any more than they were trolling those other companies. Of course, if you also felt the EFF was simply trolling Microsoft when they railed against ActiveX lockin, that they were trolling Adobe when they criticized Flash DRM, or when they were lobbying against Hollywood for SOPA/PIPA, I apologize. Since you call them a good organization, I can only assume you applauded them for those actions. If you applauded them then, why do you call them trolls now? Simply because you like the choices Apple makes for you? If anything, that is why the EFF used the title "Crystal Prison" -- because Apple's choices are usually so damned good, it is tempting to cede them more and more control, something the EFF feels in the long run is detrimental.
So the EFF is not trolling Apple for attention; Apple's policies simply run counter to the EFF's core goals. Apple's policies may in fact be mostly benevolent and tasteful choices, but they still forbid the user a range of choices himself/herself. The EFF stands against that, regardless of whether the forbidding entity is a convicted monopolist in Redmond or a stylish innovator in Cupertino. The EFF's entire raison d'etre is preserving as much rights and responsibilities for the individual. Again, nothing more, nothing less. In that light, they would be hypocritical not to speak out about Apple policies in the iOS era.
Calling what they do trolling betrays either a deliberate attempt to trivialize their mission, or a deep misunderstanding of what they do.
+1
Well said. There is definately some trolling going on, but not by the EFF.
"The EFF's entire raison d'etre is preserving as much rights and responsibilities for the individual. Again, nothing more, nothing less. In that light, they would be hypocritical not to speak out about Apple policies in the iOS era."
The EFF has a fine mission, but as soon as they used incendiary language like "prison", they failed in their mission to convince anybody worth convincing. That's trollish-like, or like truthy maybe it should be called trolly. Furthermore, they went for the emotional overreach with using Gatekeeper as a sign that Apple is closing OS X. (Never mind that the OS X 10.8 Gatekeeper is basically what they want for iOS).
I could say that what the EFF wants is an anarchy full of malware bombs, and only benefits hackers and malware punks, while the introduction of government and rules enables a more fruitful and happy populace. But that's not painting what they want in the right light, no?
Furthermore, they went for the emotional overreach with using Gatekeeper as a sign that Apple is closing OS X. (Never mind that the OS X 10.8 Gatekeeper is basically what they want for iOS).
Gatekeeper is a closing of OSX, even as its introduction would be an opening of iOS -- because they are starting from different places. Truly, it is not that hard to understand:
Closed Open
Embedded iOS (Gatekeeper) OSX Linux
The EFF wants things as far right on that line as feasible. Gatekeeper on iOS would open up choices for the user, and so moves iOS to the right. Gatekeeper on OSX removes choices from the user, and so moves OSX to the left. Consequently, the EFF regards Gatekeeper on iOS as a step in the right direction on iOS, and a step backwards on OSX.
Bah..HTML escaping fail. Trying the picture again
Closed <------------------------------------------> Open
Embedded iOS (gatekeeper) OSX Linux
All other issues aside, the EFF wants things as far to the right on that line as possible. Since iOS starts more closed, Gatekeeper is a step in the right direction, from the EFF's point of view. Since OSX starts more open, Gatekeeper is a step backwards, from their POV.
I have absolutely no problem with any eco system. Be it Apple, Android or A.N. Other, as long as they outline these restrictions up front so that I'm aware what I am signing up to.
If Apple post these details up front then as far as I'm concerned the EFF have EFF all to moan about.
The EFF and FOSS guys aren't going to get anywhere with the general populace, the 99% of the people in the market, if they keep on using words like prison, jails, draconian, dictatorial, totalitarian, etc. There are people who actually been to prison, who have lived in or are familiar with people who live dictatorships, fascist countries or countries in anarchy.
The device/software lockdown from various vendors is so far away from the reality of what those words mean that they are failing to communicate the ideas to the 99%. Even then, it doesn't really matter that much to the 99% anyways. It's not something that really affects people.
"The EFF and FOSS guys aren't going to get anywhere with the general populace, the 99% of the people in the market, if they keep on using words like prison, jails, draconian, dictatorial, totalitarian, etc."
This is probably why the FSF has no real credibility anymore. At this point, I truly believe that some of them wouldn't mind living in a real dictatorship - so long as their computers/smartphones were "open".
The EFF posits that Apple's primary motivation to maintaining this degree of control is to lock down their 30% cut from sales, but I have trouble agreeing with that since Apple openly admitted that they pretty much break even on App Store costs.
Your logic does not follow, at all.
Assuming Apple is being straightforward with their accounting, and the App Store is a slightly-better-than-break-even proposition, that would make Apple more likely to have protecting the 30% cut as their primary motivation, not less, because losing any significant slice of that 30% would turn the App Store into a money-loser, which would at best make Apple have to subsidize the App Store further with other product lines, and at worst could bring the ecosystem down.
Your logic only works if the opposite of what Apple claims is true -- that the App Store is so profitable that losing the 30% cut would be a statistical blip on Apple's ecosystem radar.
Exactly.
Both as a user and a developer, I would prefer the EFF's suggestions adopted, with the following caveats:
1) Installation of arbitrary apps. - Yes, a thousand times yes! If Apple has concerns, port Mountain Lion's Gatekeeper to iOS and be very specific that warranty coverage requires only Gatekeeper-signed apps.
2) Low-level access to the phone. Yes, again, with the same note as above.
3) Ability to install another OS. Less strong feelings about this, but neither Apple, nor Google, nor Verizon should prevent me doing what I want with what I legally purchased, unless the modification can specifically be proven to compromise an ongoing service. They shouldn't have to support it, of course, but neither should they prevent it.
4) Independent hardware and software warranties. Yes, because refusing to cover a cracked screen because the Genius sees Cydia is absurd. In my experience, however, Apple tends to err on the side of the customer when it comes to warranty issues, however, so practically speaking, they usually fulfill the spirit of this requirement, though I understand why the EFF would like it spelled out.
Android is just as restrictive, I'd argue it's much easier to go through an iOS jailbreak than unlocking a bootloader and rooting an android device, barring non carrier tied Nexus devices.
Why no one takes the middle of the road WebOS solution is beyond me. Then again great innovative OSes always fall. Instead we have the equivalent of Windows PC's and Mac in the mobile space in Android and iOS.
Android is NOT just as restrictive. Android lets you install any app you want from anywhere you want, and is far more open in stock form to allowing apps system access. But no, it's not completely open.
As far as ease of root, that depends on the phone. But at least some Android manufacturers will supply you instructions.
hmmm.. interesting i was able to root my both android phones on the second day i bought them, now please remind me how long did it take for ipad 2 and iphone 4s to jailbreak them?
I've jailbroken all my iPhones and will continue to. I have recently switched to the Windows phone and I guess all the same things that people are saying about Apple can be true with the Windows phone? I'm not a developer, but I don't see any options to modify the Windows phone. Personally I like the Windows phone a lot better than the 4s, but I still keep the jailbroken iphone around.
Let's tear down those four points one by one:
*1) Installation of arbitrary applications on the device. *
This would be heaven for malware creators. And there would be many of them due to the popularity of iOS. Terrible idea.
2) Access to the phone OS at the root/superuser/hypervisor/administrator level.
Embraces and extends #1. Let hackers write malware (aka "arbitrary applications") and give malware root access. Even worse than #1 alone.
*3) The option to install a different OS altogether. *
Apple is under no obligation to allow anyone to install any non-factory OS on any iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV. The only reason Apple allows Windows to run on Macs is because it helps Mac sales somewhat.
4) Hardware warranties that are clearly independent of software warranties.
Too many gray areas. Software bugs can and do cause hardware failures. In addition, Apple's hardware and software are more integrated than most other consumer electronics manufacturers. (See #3 above.)
This from the expert who brought you weeks of posts about Oracle's "rock solid" case against Google.
Crystal? I don't know... It's more like a very, very think linen prison :D
From a developer's point of view, I much prefer iOS over Android. Sure, Android tends to be much more open but when it comes to meeting the needs of our clients, things tend to work much better in iOS. The line seems to be a marker between functional and beautiful. It's relatively easy to create a functional app on Android. However, when you want to create something beyond functional, something that leans more towards a performant work of art, it's simpler to do in iOS. Even basic things like nice transitions tend to be more of a pain in Android compared to iOS. I won't even get into how unfortunate things become when our clients need any non-native (read: HTML5/hybrid apps) on both platforms
None of this is to say that anything can be done on one but not the other.
On a side note, the whole walled garden/crystal prison is losing it's shock value. A small walled garden is bad. The thing is, metaphorically speaking, iOS' ecosystem is closer to the size of continent than that of a garden (and it is still growing). So while restrictions do remain, it is far less frustrating for most users than the term "walled garden" implies.
That's retarded. At least 2 of those 4 pointers open the device up to malware/viruses and hacking just like Android. The closed eco-system makes everything safer.
I use both iPhone and iPad and have no need or desire to jailbreak anything. iOS does exactly what I need it to, when I need it to. Does this self-proclaimed 'EEE' realize the majority of users are not tech geeks that like to geekgasm over getting all uber-personal with their devices?
It's more politics treading into the private/free market. Someone telling someone else how to make their products.
Ditto
What they call a crystal prison, I call a functional ecosystem.
I agree.
I think these high-level "rights", as usual, are mostly self serving, dreamed up by people wrapped up in their own world. I don't think a majority of people would care at all about any of these, "rights", or even know what they were about.
That's not to say that these things don't matter - they do. But I think, as a developer and as a user, if someone disagrees with the practices and restrictions of a particular ecosystem, use their REAL right to freedom, and just drop it and buy another product.
Which is why Android is the better platform for those interested in real comprehensive modding and hacking, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Agree. If you want more choices, go buy an Android, but don't try to make iOS into Android. Sheesh...
A-freakin-men
I'am a WebOS user but since the lack of toys to play with I've had to quench my tech thirst with iPads and iPhone for my family (I still use a pre3) for a phone, will be getting a iPhone very soon due to broken screen, high prices and availability of a Verizon pre3. Since using the iPad 2 and now the "New IPad" more and more without having the ability pretty much do nothing but a generic usage of the device it's a love and hate or more like a "like and hate" relationship . The hardware is obviously pleasing but the lack of customizing the user level leaves much to be desired. With WebOS it is Homebrew to the jail breaking of iOS and Rooting with Android. Fear of all the supposed consequences has keep me from jail breaking anything yet. It would be nice to get any piece of individuality in ocean of trendy blah. We should be able to do anything we want to our devices for what we pay for them. Maybe not anything but still, you know what I'm saying.
I understand the complaints and I agree with them for the most part. But on a personal level, I don't really mind all of those things on my iPhone and iPad. There's nothing I want to do with the devices today that I can't despite it's locked-down state. Furthermore, in my circle of friends and colleagues the majority own iPhones and I have yet to hear any of them complain about any of these things. In fact, I'd venture to guess that just about all of them aren't even aware that these things are issues.
Your comment is the exact reason why it's called a crystal prison. Everything looks so good that you think that their isn't anything better. Apple restricts a lot of things. For example, I have the slingbox app on my phone but it will not play to a tv using the video cables. According to Slingbox, this is due to apple restricting the api. But with a jailbreak, I can do it. Now I can travel and watch my own cable programs on a big screen.
again, I don't care who it is or what type of smartphone you own - you as the owner of that phone have the right to block any number you want from not reaching your phone, and everybody gets a wierd/sales/telemarketing/no ID/restricted/unavailable call from time to time. I chose to jailbreak because unlike blackberry and android, apple refuses to let a call blocking app in their app store. I'll give you two for instances: I do not accept ANY call with no ID. Period. I have my Cydia call blocking app set to reject any call that comes through with NO ID, Restricted, private, or unavailable. All they get is silence or a busy signal if I so choose when they call with no ID. 2nd for instance: Went car shopping in February for new car. Was comparing 3 different vehicles and every dealership had to run my credit to get a price and terms for a loan. So after choosing the car I wanted to buy, I didn't need 5 different dealership managers/salespeople calling my phone to ask me what happened or why I didn't want to buy their car. Simple - i blocked them all after the purchase. And...i should have the right to do this and apple won't give me this right. Not fair.
I totally agree with the article and what the EEF feels about Apple's proprietary hold on their products. I jailbroke my iphone 4 for one and only one reason: a call blocking app that android and blackberry allow in their app stores, but yet Apple refuses and it really doesn't make sense as to why if I buy a $300 phone and spend a great deal of money each month to have the service on that phone, that I should not be allowed to block numbers from reaching my phone- after all, when it comes down to the wire it is really MY phone and not apple's. What good does it do to have a choice of 500,000 apps when the one most important app for you is not available through "legal" app store purchase? so until Apple comes down off it's high horses I will continue to jailbreak and if there is a version of the iphone in the future which cannot be jailbroken through unthethered means, then i go back to blackberry or to Android. I also feel that Apple needs to do something about it's very lame and tired ringtones and text tones and the only way to get much better control over these tones and to get professional sounding tones is to jailbreak. If Apple sees as a company tha tover one million people just jailbroke their iphone 4S untethered with the lates 5.1, in one weekend alone, then it really needs to modernize it's way of thinking.
I'm not going to debate the points in your post, the only thing I'm going to comment on is the ring/text tones thing. I've been able to create my own ring and text tones on my PC from whatever audio sources I want and transfer them to my iPhone using iTunes without jailbreaking. It's a fairly easy process (except creating the files if you're not familiar with audio editing software).
I agree with you 100% about being able to "create" ringtones, however: 1. It is much, much easier to download a great set of ringtones called RCP Professional sounding ringtones and use them with a cydia app called "tones fx" and....with tones fx, I can not only use my own downloaded ringtones, but I can actually change the email tones and text tones to something like blackberry tones, which in my opinion are the best text/email tones in the business. Sure, with iphone apps, you can certainly create your own ringtones, but it is extremely hard to get them into the text tone/email tone menu to use. with tone fx, it's done in a few seconds. Aplle really, really has to come up with better ringtones than dogs barking or garbage can lids clanking. Enough said.
First. there were over 1 million iOS devices jailbroken, not just iPhone 4S. And two. If you think the only way to get good ring tone or message tones is to jailbreak you obviously have not done your research.
no you are very wrong. This website had an article that last weekend alone, when the untethered jailbreak came out for the latest operating system for iphone 4, over 1 million people jailbroke their iphones las weekend alone.
"I also feel that Apple needs to do something about it's very lame and tired ringtones and text tones and the only way to get much better control over these tones and to get professional sounding tones is to jailbreak."
Ringtonium - iPhone App - Lite version - Free --> http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ringtonium-lite-professional/id430836044?...
Ringtonium - iPhone App - Pro version - $0.99 --> http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ringtonium-professional-ringtone/id430832...
Ringer - Mac App (in the Mac App Store) - $3.99 --> http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ringer-ringtone-maker/id402437824?mt=12
Just the couple I use as part of #TeamPure
again as replie above, yes you can get great ringtones - listen to what I said - ringtones. it is extremely difficult to get text/email tones. extremely difficult. again, all of you posters sticking up for apples great ringtones needs to understand that NOT EVERYBODY wants to deal with itunes. Strange things happen to my iphone/ipod when I hook it up to itunes. There are other GREAT ways to get into the iphone internal file systems to actually load songs, ringtones and text tones into the iphone. this is what the whole article is about - the fact that most of you feel you just have to use itunes for everything. first of all, I have been using "real player" since 2002 and I have paid for a lifetime subscription - I can legally download ANY video from youtube or google videos and transfer them directly to my iphone from real player. if I hook the phone up to itunes, those videos disapear. Now with google play - and a very nice app for the iphone, your really don't need to store your music on your phone - it can be done in the cloud with no loss of GB from your iphone. Same with photos and videos with apps like skydrive. there is an app on cydia called "tones fx". you download it on your laptop/desktop computer. you can go to a website called ZEDGE ringtones/sms/texttones and pick out ANY tones (some are very professional sounding and great) drop them into tones fx on your laptop/desktop and they automatically appear on your tones fx app on your iphone and you can use these tones to change your email/sms/mms alerts and it works seemlessly and extremely easy. Sure, you can do it your way on itunes, but this is about a 100 times easier way to change any tone on your iphone. True, not for everybody, but for me, iphone needs to take a cue from blackberry and maybe if blackberry goes out of business, they need to purchase the rights to blackberry's ring/email/sms/mms tones becasue they are about a 1000% better than the native tones that iphone gives you with any iphone.
" it is extremely difficult to get text/email tones"
Ringtonium Pro does that, which you would know if you bothered to check out the links. The fact that you have to pay for a 3rd party app is a different argument, but at $0.99 it's not like you're being held to ransom. There are other apps in the App Store that will do this also.
Your annoying ringtones are bothering everyone. Silence your phone please
lol it's a ringtone and a email tone thats all. If these are deal breakers of a cellphone for you. You must be 12 years old.
What a bunch of idiots, it's easy to cut apple out of the 30% cut of sales, so how can that be the reason. Absolute morons.
If mobile operating systems are "prisons", I'd rather bein in the iOS crystal prison than in Android's rat-filled dungeon. ;-)
I switched from the iPhone to Android and definitely enjoy the more open feel Android has.
I think you missed the point. Android isn't restrictive at all. Nice try with the insult though. Maybe you should try a different thesaurus. Might have to wait for the approved one first though ;)
Lol Rat filled dungeon. Typical *pple sheep. Open your eyes, people like customization and open source. Have fun living your life the way *pple tells you to.
Customization and open source to do what? Please tell.
being able to load a tethering app without having to wait months for jailbreak (the MAJOR dealbreaker for me) sideload apps, and enhance OS by tweaking it for more easier personal use, again, without having to wait for jb... (minor benefits, still very useful)
Lol win
"it's hard not to get an iPhone and Mac and not know that from here on in, you're expected to do things The Apple Way.
To be honest, this attitude is exactly what traditionally turned me off from Apple products"
This has never been the case with Mac OS X and Apple computer hardware, and still is not. Sadly, now that iOS does indeed reign in and confine users, the old notion (a sentiment advanced almost solely by those who not actually familiar with the Macintosh and the OS) that OS X and Macs suffer from similar usage limitations and limited user freedom seems to be receiving unrelated and erroneous justification.