I’ve been thinking, as of late, about the ironies that surround Apple’s iPhone. I simply love the device - it has changed the way I interact and go about my day - and unfortunately, not all of it is good. But I have increasingly grown more and more disillusioned with the device, though not enough to boycott it…yet.
You see, when Apple introduced the iPhone, it fundamentally changed the rules of the game. The carrier was no longer to dictate to the consumer what device they would use, or what feature, or plan, or whatnot. Apple, in one blow, broke that model wide open - and carriers are still trying to figure out how to compete.
The irony is this: Apple promised to give power back to the consumer with the iPhone - which to some degree it did. But in the process, they have become exactly what they have set out to destroy - a giant bully. And this is primarily due to their flawed and arbitrary handling of apps and app rejections.
It is no secret that they have royally screwed this up - the really sad part is that instead of behaving like a leader, admitting their error, and correcting it - they have behaved like a bullish dictator, having no apparent direction and making no apologies for their obvious mistakes - regardless of whom they trample over.
So here I am left wondering if this is the change that Apple had in mind the whole time. Get the people hooked, and them sucker them in for the kill. I wonder if this is exactly what the music industry has felt like all this time when they complain about Apple’s handling of the iTunes store.
The final cruel irony is - even with all its flaws, horrible cell carrier, and laughable app policies - it’s still the best option out there. Sigh.
