A few thoughts on the DOJ's antitrust case against Apple

This comparison to Windows and MSFT is really interesting. And it is really crazy how much we’ve accepted from Apple regarding lock-in. I’m impressed that the Apple Watch made it in the lawsuit exactly because it feels like a niche product because of the plethora of other smartwatches. But the anti-competitive behaviors in so many little decisions stifle innovation in the space and prevent basic consumer choices. And the trend over the last 20 years has only been getting worse. The Apple Watch is more locked down than iPhones which are much more locked down than PCs. Just been a bad trend in computing that 80s Apple benefitted from in a way that today’s Apple doesn’t allow.

Microsoft was a large owner (7% stake) in Apple when this stuff was happening. It seems a little bit off to use Microsoft's implicit support of their investment (Apple) as a rationale for why Apple should support companies it has no direct interest in. Microsoft stopped so playing nicely with Apple after divesting -- for a very long time they stopped releasing anything for Apple's platforms.

A related point is this:

Microsoft traditionally did the OS, and left hardware and apps to others. This led to a huge market for PC hardware, open to true competition. It also led to a really robust market for windows apps, also open to competition.

Love or hate windows, but this greatly benefited computer users and led to a great year over year decline in the cost of computing.

Apple on the other hand has inserted itself to tightly control hardware and software on its platforms (somewhat less on macos). But it is only passably to the benefit of computer/phone/tablet users. It drove the price users were willing to pay for software to zero, and maintained or inflated the price of its hardware year over year.

and the worst part, users don't really have sovereignty over their devices or software. You can't know what your phone is doing. You can't see who it communicates with. And you can't control or opt-out of anything unless apple allows it in the ways apple allows it.

I would like to know what's running on my phone. I'd like to see what apps are doing, who they are communicating with and what they are sending. And I'd like to be able to say no to what I don't like, possibly in a way that apple hates. I'd like to run my own apps, without asking apple for permission, and with no restrictions.

Uber and Netflix both launched when apps could handle their own payments without fees though. Do you have an example from the more recent past?

How easy was it to sideload apps on Windows Phone?

Learning other people's perspectives helps broaden your own, and if you don't agree then formulating a counter-argument helps consolidate and crystalize your position.