go:
Apple has sat on a plea to carry Opera’s Web browser in its iPhone App Store for two weeks.
Blogger iseffcom asks:
A serious question (from someone with a very simplistic view of the legal world): MSFT was tried for abusing monopoly power when they began bundling IE with Windows. You could still install other browsers if you wished. Here we have AAPL bundling Safari with iPhone OS and actively not allowing other browsers onto the device… What’s the difference?
Microsoft’s position back then and Apple’s now differs in two key ways.
For one, Microsoft was smacked down at a time when antitrust was near the top of the government mindset. Today, telecom giants, once split, now roam through the wilderness like tyrannosauruses.
Second, Apple doesn’t have dominant market share on any industry — except for digital music players, but who cares? It’s not the dominant computer manufacturer nor the premier maker of smart phones (let alone cellphones). Microsoft was a beast, using its unwavering might and a market share well above 50% to bully competitors.
Apple is one cellphone maker in a sea of cellphone makers. Think of Wal-Mart. That retail giant can carry any product it likes for whatever reason it likes. Because you don’t have to shop from Wal-Mart. Just like you can buy a Windows Mobile Phone (Windows Phone 7 Series?), Android phone, Nokia Symbian phone or one of the many comparable options.
(via dubliner)
