[MikeRichardson]

> The free-market works when someone else builds something -- in this case a better phone experience -- that would cause folks to move to that and abandon iMessage

The free market fails when the cost for anyone else to enter the market is completely out of reach to anyone else.

[gigatexal]

That argument fails evidenced by all the various smartphone companies that have emerged. It’s not Apple’s fault that they failed to gain traction. They haven’t provided a marginally better experience or value add enough to make anyone move platforms.