[vutekst]

There are many motives for keeping secrets. Look at the NSA, or pretty much any government.

[hahainternet]

Well certainly, but in this case the motivation is anticompetitive.

[alexeisadeski3]

Or procompetitive, depending on one's outlook.

[hahainternet]

I fail to see how keeping secrets can be procompetitive. The existence of a larger barrier to entry surely prevents competition.

[bestham]

Well, in this particular case I agree. Its unlikley that you will make your own ARM SOC or blobs because the Snapdragon blobs are unavalible to you. But one can see the secrets as an anti-feature and choose an alternative supplier that is less secret. While Google / Asus didnt the end users might.

[hahainternet]

Ah I see you're saying that keeping secrets may motivate clients to pick someone other than you, and potentially increase competitiveness if the market presence of 'secret keepers' is minimal.

I think it's pretty tricky to consider that a real 'effect', as if the alternative companies kept secrets then it would be just as bad.

[alexeisadeski3]

It rewards success and thus incentivizes more competition.