The stuff Apple does on iOS is worse than the worst of the Windows lockin. The difference is a DOJ that is not interested in monopoly cases.

The real difference is that now we have a choice. With Windows there was monopoly and it was practically impossible to use another platform if you wanted to exchange documents with others and similar (which is basic functionality for computer).

IMHO what Apple is doing only harms themselves. While they had Steve Jobs they could be successful in spite of their practices, but with no breakthroughs for some years now such "small" differences will become important. Google is beating them hands down in all departments of mobile platform space.

I actually wish Apple stayed strong because we need competition, but in the long run I don't see them as a dominant force in mobile OS anymore. They will likely become what they were with Macs before Steve Jobs came back - a niche player.

They still make the biggest chunk of profit in the mobile space by some margin. Google might beat them in all technical departments, but Apple is making tons of cash from iOS.

Sure, they still make a ton of money, but I am arguing that their power is declining due to stagnation in innovations. Once the cycle reverses the profits will follow too. All IMHO, of course.

Is Apple not the world's most valuable corporation? I think we can still call them pretty strong.

e: per WP:

> Apple is the world's largest information technology company by revenue, the world's largest technology company by total assets

Apple is legacy hardware vendor, I don't see anything wrong making software for you own hardware to complete ecosystem. MS, on the other hand, tried to capture, lock in users' generic hardware and kill competitors, which is totally different case imho.

Why? That is worse.