

Quick question re Apple and Microsoft - kimfuh

Isn't what Apple doing with the iPad/iPhone and iTunes/AppStore/iBookstore almost the same thing Microsoft did when it bundled InternetExplorer with Windows?
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BucmaTemar
Not really. MSFT basically destroyed an existing competitor (netscape) by
putting IE in every copy of windows. They used their monopoly in desktop OS to
get a near monopoly in web browsers. They also did fun things like make OEM's
pay for windows licenses for every machine sold or would raise the price of
licenses OEM's did want. So... you bought a machine to put Linux on, you still
paid for windows.

Apple on the other hand, makes a phone that has a controlled market for
applications. There isn't a pre-existing competitor there that they are
destroying, so it's not really the same.

The success of other smartphones actually works in Apple's favor here. There's
nothing wrong with Apple having a monopoly on Apple products. What is wrong
would be having a monopoly on all smartphones, then abusing that monopoly to
corner the smartphone web browser market.

What Apple is doing, is pretty much the same thing that all of the game
console makers do. You can't easily get software for a Wii that Nintendo
doesn't approve of... Same with Sony, and, of course, MSFT on the XBOX. [yes,
you can buy a Wii game at walmart... just not one that Nintendo doesn't want
to license.]

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kgermino
Some tips to help you get an answer to your question:

Use a more descriptive title starting with "Ask HN:" and phrase your question
in a way that will lead to a discussion rather than a yes/no answer.

I'd suggest: Ask HN: Is Apple following Microsoft's antitrust practices?

It seems to me that by restricting the iPad/iPhone to the iTunes/AppStore
ecosystem Apple is acting similarly to Microsoft when they bundled IE and
Windows. Am I wrong? What makes them different?

There is a number of different ways you can ask your question, that is just
mine and I advise you to checkout the 'ask' page for more, probably better,
examples. Also if you haven't yet you should read the guidelines page.
<http://ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html>

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lushootseed
Wow! Apple certainly gets a free pass when it comes to scrutiny. Apple is
definitely playing in the gray area when it comes to anti-competitive
practices. google voice rejection and a whole lot of apps that got rejected
had no good reason except to main control of the platform.

Is Apple letting the better technology win? Or does it let customers vote with
their wallets w.r.to their eco-system? Plenty of evidence sites the opposite.
They instead want to be the guardians/gatekeeps of content/apps and many times
it crossed the line to dictatorship

