Thoughts on Apple and Vendor Lock-In

First, I didn't want it. Then a friend told me, she didn't want it either but it would make a nice, though expensive, digital picture frame. The iPad was hyped so much in the USA that I decided to keep an eye on it. Suddenly, I read something about the "WePad" made in Germany being released to oppose Apple's vendor lock-in. And there it was. I was seriously hooked by this new kind of tablets, pads, or slates or whatever it's called now.

You sit on a couch, your iPad on your knees and check your facebook, watch movies, and play some nice games. Honestly, watching TV hasn't been much of an option lately. Otherwise, if you like TV and live in America, just download the ABC App and watch some episodes of your favorite TV series on your iPad.

What Apple does right
But why is it Apple that gets the biggest piece of the cake? Because they are selling the brand, and the attitude, the lifestyle, the user experience. Obviously, most software has been created by some software experts, all of which are most familiar with computers, their environments and everything. Frankly, most us are 1337 and geeks and discuss Apple's roadmap in boring blog posts. But the users outside want the software only to work. Gold-plating is overestimated. John Doe doesn't want to change and compile some Linux kernel. For all he cares, his work should be done as easy and fast as possible. The secret of Apple is usability, no compromises on battery consumption, judder free, perfectly smooth visualizations, and a consistent user experience through ALL of the 200.000 apps. Recently, I saw a vodcast about the Harvard Assoc. Prof. David Platt. Basically, he introduced his book: Why software sucks. Check him out on Youtube:


What Apples does wrong
Well, history repeats itself. Over and over again. Give a man some power and he will abuse it. You have seen Caesar and Napoleon, you have seen Sauron and Darth Vader, and you have also seen the Lehmann Brothers. Now the stage is free for Steve Jobs and his ideas of calculation and control.

Today I read an article about what to know if you want to start to develop iSomething apps. Basically, you have to adhere to the so called iPhone/iPad Developer Program License Agreement (iDPLA). To summarize:
* Membership costs your 99 or 299USD per year
* Apple can cancel your membership with a 30 days notice
* iDPLA can change in every point at any time without notice
* iPhone SDK - strictly only to be installed and used on a MAC
* Applications can be developed
** only in languages Objective-C, C, C++, and JavaScript
** without using cross-compilation!?!
* Apple decides on rejection or acceptance of apps
* Every change to your app needs another approval
* Apple gets 30% of your earnings (Payed Apps)
* Apple is liable only up until 50USD

Living in Singapore, I had to learn that there are actually some situations in which a country needs a strong leader with the right intentions. That means for the public to renounce some rights for the greater good of that countries' citizens (Folks, that's another discussion, where I haven't found a final conclusion, yet). Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that Apple only gains this fluffy usability, the consistent user experience, abnormal performance, and irreducible battery consumption by imposing several, developer unfriendly rules.

BUT, and that is most important, some of these guidelines and rules are only for the greater good of Apple and to block competitors. Why should I be bound to develop the application on an Apple Macintosh? One of the most recently discussed question is, why should Apple ban Adobe Flash or it's Flash-to-iPhone cross-compiler? Because everybody could develop applications, Apple could never possibly control, e.g., through its AppStore. Control can be abused and in my opinion that is exactly what Apple does. Beneath the beautiful face of Apple actually hides a dark soul.

Neofinie WeTab

Think, I will buy the WePadTab instead if Neofonie sticks to providing an open platform. Vendor Lock-In used to be a cash cow some years ago. Now companies have to think over their strategies and shift to more openness. Otherwise, they will loose their customers easily. I'd suggest to read The Meaning of Open to understand my forecast.