If You Can’t Ban ‘Em, Join ‘Em
Apple’s closed ecosystem and tight controls over their products has always been both their greatest asset and biggest liability.
With Google apps (Latitude and Voice) getting rejected from the app store because they duplicate features on the phone, the press and users seem to be lining up against Apple. Keeping a baby shaking app out of the App store is fine but removing Google apps because they could compete with Apple is going too far.
Apple is in a great position with the iPhone. They are building the critical mass needed to become the “Google” of smartphones, but they’re not there yet. By allowing competing apps from Google and even other web browsers like Opera, to come to the iPhone, they’re keeping the development on the Apple platform. These are good apps, by big companies, that provide features users want.
If Apple alienates these devs, they’ll leave, and it will only benefit the other mobile platforms. I say bring them into the fold and encourage these companies to bring their apps to the iPhone.
Some iPhone users may prefer Opera to Safari, but they at least they won’t switch to a Blackberry.
