I think the point he's making is that if the hardware is sufficient enough in the iPhone, then it doesn't matter that you can't get it in a variety of various systems. In fact, as it is with all Apple products, I'd say that's an advantage in Apple's favor. Not everybody agrees, but it suits me fine, and it suits a lot of other people pretty well, too. So I get your not liking Apple, but don't get condescending about it.

Apple's theory has always been that if they control the hardware, they don't have to compromise their software. That results in really remarkable things.

Yes, I'm serious. Now can you answer the question?

Hey, maybe you don't want to pay an extra $100 for a GPS gizmo you'd never use. Or a camera, if you have a small camera outside of your phone. Or maybe you want some extra RAM in your phone (for the upcoming days when phones may be doing some more intensive things?). Or a replaceable battery! The list goes on and on.

I can't tell whether this is a serious list. Replaceble battery sounds serious (I mean, I don't want one, but sure). GPS gizmo? Small camera? RAM?

It was quite serious. Some people may be constrained by money, and a difference between having a GPS and camera and not having them may be a deal-saver. Power-users may want a faster phone, maybe with a different processor or more memory. Like it or not, Apple can't make a phone which satisfies everyone. With different hardware, maybe you can get a phone perfect for you - or who knows, maybe a company will make them on order sometime in the future, like Dell does with computers. Honestly, I don't see what you find so funny about this list, and I don't see the need for a snarky response.

You know that the iPhone has both a GPS and a camera, right? It also has some RAM.

In some industries the ubiquitous cell-phone camera is a liability. I have friends and family with security clearances who are only allowed to bring phones without cameras into work. Finding such a phone these days is actually kind of a pain, enough so that several of these folks just don't have a cell phone.

I have a security clearance and have worked in the DefCon industry for about 3 years. Every secure room area I've had has had an area for you to lock up electronic devices you might use outside of a secure area, such as cameras, flash drives, and cell phones.

Other contractors I know in the west coast just leave their cell phone in their car when they go on base. It just sounds like your friends are using the old "I have a security clearance" excuse to not have a cell phone, which, if its the case, more power to them. :)