For me, this shows fear and a sense of insecurity within Apple. They've built their walled garden and are doing whatever they can to protect it. They've probably even convinced users that it's in their interest. Yet, they know there is an inevitability that polished web apps will exist (and that time will come fairly soon, imo), and will match and replace their native counterparts. They also know, it's the correct and overwhelmingly more efficient way to deliver 99% of apps. Yet they want to stifle that future, all in the name of money.

Create all the titanium cased phones you like - eventually, the masses will be smart enough to prioritise openness and forward-thinking over almost anything else. If you start to hold people back with your decisions, questions will start to arise about your priorities and eventually your products. And people are fickle enough, that they won't be your fanboys/girls forever.