Apple Arrogance?

Dennis Sellers has a poll running on MacsimumNews.com and mentions it in this post:
http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/poll_is_apple_getting_arrogant/

The question has generated several interesting responses. Most seem to be centered around the iPhone and the current firestorm surrounding "bricking" unlocked phones and 3rd party apps.

Being a happy shareholder in Apple I prefer to avoid the terms "Arrogant" and another that is sure to follow "Greed". I will try to use "Shrewd" instead!

The word arrogance could be S. Jobs' middle name. That can be shown all the way back to the introduction of the effectively closed original Macintosh.

Most of us prefer to think that his decisions related to closed systems has been for the "greater good" and many times they have. But the element of shrewdness enters in often.

Most recently with the AppleTV and now with the iPhone.

There was much hand wringing about the ATV not having a tuner, a DVR or a DVD player. The reason, as I see it, is that anything that allows you to put media on the ATV that you didn't buy from the iTunes Music Store is not good for Apple!

Have you ever wondered why there has never been an FM tuner built in to the iPod? Same reason.

Now we come to the iPhone.

After releasing the original version of the software and testing the hacking waters they learned what needed to be done to make it difficult, if not impossible, to lock it down.

Why? Because there will be 3rd party apps available, there will be games available but they will be available from only one source, yes, the iTunes Music Store.

The first step in that direction was to lock out any ring tones except those purchased from? You guessed it, The iTunes Music Store.

Now, having laid that ground work I have to say that I think there are some advantages to this system since all apps and games will have to be tested and certified by Apple so they can "protect" us from junk.

Now I am forced to bring up the "A" word again. To not allow an update to an unlocked phone is probably a part of Apple's contract with AT&T. But, to "brick" an unlocked phone and not allow a path back to AT&T is punitive and pure arrogance!