[gcheong]

There really needs to be a way to sell outside of the apple appstore without needing to jailbreak of your device. If the DOJ can sue Apple and the book publishers over an apparent attempt to destroy competition in the retail market, why wouldn't they be interested in how Apple is destroying developers' ability to freely publish apps and consumers to have choices besides Apple in the marketplace? How do we start a campaign to get them to look into this? Has anyone tried to file a suit of any kind to address this problem to date?

[rbarooah]

Why not just buy an android phone?

[DHowett]

1) Notice that Google has removed this app too.

2) Carriers (AT&T) are known for disabling app sideloading.

3) Having to root your device presents the basic user with a major technical hurdle, and in some cases, an outright impossibility.

If you're going to advocate as an alternative an entire platform you can't guarantee freedom on, for freedom's sake, why advocate it?

[rbarooah]

I don't think I've ever advocated Android, but I am interested in why it doesn't live up to the promise of being open.

When I see comments like the parent's the logic seems to be: "Android isn't properly open, so let's sue Apple."

[jw_]

> Why not just buy an android phone?

> I don't think I've ever advocated Android

[rbarooah]

That wasn't advocacy.

I really wanted to know why the original commenter was talking about suing Apple, instead of just buying an Android phone.

[gcheong]

Because there is a bigger picture here than just "buy a different phone" as mobile computing becomes more ubiquitous. I think that having a single app store on the dominant platform that everyone is forced to go through is akin to having a single browser on the dominant OS. So in the end it's not about suing Apple per se but if a suit against Apple were successful then the rest of the market players would be forced to open up as well.

[gcheong]

In my thinking at least Apple (as the market dominator) isn't properly open so let's sue Apple and, assuming the suit is won, the rest will follow.

[rbarooah]

Are you agreeing that Android isn't open either?

If so, how would suing Apple (successfully) have any effect other than to cede the market to Google?

[gcheong]

Android is more open in the sense that there is more than one market and anyone can build a marketplace for apps. Yes, there are places where Google is not open with Android as well but my main problem is there is only one app store for iDevices. My thinking is that if Apple is forced to open up in terms of allowing more than one channel to sell apps through, or to sell directly, that it won't cede the market to Google but will set a precedent for all players.