Microsoft-level evil would be charging people for the privilege of using the API, like with ActiveSync. Google isn't quite there yet, but they're certainly moving in that direction.
Sure, they charge for hosting your calendar. I was thinking of the fact that you can write an app against Google's calendar API without having to pay, whereas you would have to pay to write an ActiveSync client.
Ohh well thats absolutely fine then if they're killing off all the competition with a subsidised product then switching all the standard access to their own API because they're doing it for ★FREE★.
Like hell they aren't: https://developers.google.com/google-apps/calendar/pricing