Isn't history repeating with the mobile OS?
Windows beat Apple to market share by involving a whole bunch of customers,licensing out the product, involving a whole bunch of potential partners in the development process.
Isn't the same thing happening with the Iphone and Android? Apple is still bessotted with control, and Android is riding on the shoulders of a half a dozen equipment partners.
Whom do you think will be ahead 5 years down? I prefer Android to the rest because it's the most open of the bunch, but I'd actually like to see 'the web' win out on phones in relatively short order... it's just easier to work with for us developers, in many ways. i'm curious how android is easier than iphone? i'm doing android development and i have had a few problems because there are so many different models... for example, i actually go to the carrier's stores to test... and i have an issue with spinners not showing up that only happens on droid 2. whereas the iphone has only one manufacturer and form factor, and only a handful of variations like os, screen resolution. I said that "the web" is easier on developers than any platform specific thing for the same reason it is with desktops. That's why I hope it wins out over even open platforms like Android. The per-click ad prices for ads that aren't much more targeted than your average banner ad remind me of banner ad prices during the internet gold rush. i think this time around apple will stay competitive as long as steve jobs is there... especially once they get on other carriers.