Users are impressed by Apple’s  shiny design and interface of its devices. They become familiar with interface accepts storefront condition as norm and before the user knows they have surrendered their freedom and control for a censored, limited, media device.

Let us take a look at what brought Apple to this new strategy. To understand where we are going we must first look back at what brought us here.

History Lesson: How Apple got rich

Macbook- Air, Pro, uni-body, all wonderful devices with a hefty price tag. These accompanied with an extremely intuitive operating system were designed to provide the best user experience. These were designed so that the user could enjoy doing whatever they want simply because of the beauty and simplicity of the interface. Apple just wanted their users to enjoy computing by giving them a great platform, combination of hardware and software to do it.

The evolution of human design- Apple is really good at knowing what you want in an interface but more interested in what you do.  Their first target- music.

iPod &  iTunes-They created a great product with great  hardware and a beautiful design, but this time, they wanted more from their following. They wanted to profit from other people’s work, musicians, artists and you many times over. They created a market place, locked the hardware and used the software to force everyone into using it. No one woke up and said” I want to give up all the various website marketplaces to purchase all my tunes through Apple”. It only requires a rudimentary understanding of economics to know that decreasing supply/options will increase prices and decrease consumer control.

However, we all loved the hardware. It was simple, elegant and worked really well. It Featured a closed device, proprietary formats, restricted hardware use, restricted software use, repeated purchases of previously purchased content in order to be used in other places or on other devices.

iTunes made it difficult to manage music outside of iTunes. They made it more difficult to move legitimately owned music and claimed it was to prevent piracy. The reality is that Apple wanted everyone who listens to music to use their hardware with their store. Due to public pressure and lawsuit filings Apple eventually caved and removed DRM from their music. This of course was after several years of record sales and profits for Apple.

How Apple got rich-er: The iPhone & App Store

Same old story but a new target; smart-phones.  Much to the dismay of the fan-boys the iPhone isn’t in a category of its own. It is in fact, a smart-phone. There have been many before it. There are many competing with it. There are a few that arguably even do a better job than it. Apple presented the iPhone and App Store to go with it. They once again used closed devices, proprietary formats, and hid them behind the platform of great design, hardware and software. They locked their users into to making  app store purchases the norm and an everyday habit- whether free or paid. They took an extra step with the iPhone App store agenda by trying to eliminate competition from web applications by making sure their device did not support Flash. Flash, at the time, was the primary format used to build web apps.

These extra steps are clearly anti-competitive and unlike their computers, the design of the devices is now infringing on the lives of users rather than focusing on empowering them.

How Apple plans to get even richer-iPad &  iBooks

iPad- a 10 inch tablet computer with the iPhone Operating system. The new marketplace target? Books and Print media. The iPad presents media in an Apple proprietary format, a closed device, larger screen to expand on building behaviors with users to subscribe to their model.

The iPod and iPhone came out without real competition. Microsoft was treated like a drug-dealer to many users; we all hated their stuff but were addicted to it. They entered the market with the Zune, and later Zune HD, great design/hardware but no street cred of giving the users what they want. Apple’s street cred seems to have suffered too as it gets called out for pursuing a corporate agenda that betrays its users. And after umpteen generations of the iPod and iPhone, each less revolutionary than the first, I believe consumers might look beyond the hardware, shiny design and question how these devices will empower their lives rather than limit them. The iPad might be a tough sell in this economy.

Steve Jobs & Apple recently unveiled the iPad, essentially, a big iPod touch. But the big revelation was not the device or the innovative hardware used to make it so efficient. They real shocker was that Apple came out and said that they believe the future of computing is in “closed devices”.

What is a closed device? One that you wouldn’t want. Imagine having an exotic car that comes with a driver. It is very high performance and looks amazing, however, the driver will only drive to destinations approved by the car company at speeds approved by the car company. This is Apple’s approach. You don’t even get to drive the car or choose where you’re going.

They restrict what you can do and how you can use the device. All actions must be approved by the state Apple.
As the owner of these devices, you have no control and are limited to applications approved by the state Apple.

Why is this important/rant worthy?

Unlike the iPhone this new device,  is meant to compete closely to full-fledged computers, attempting to be more than a Kindle but less than a Netbook. The Netbooks and other tablet computers out there, have full fledged operating systems where the user has control /freedom over many decisions, the look, the pictures, how things are arranged, the applications installed, etc. All of the subtle tiny detailed decisions that make up our digital lifestyle. This iPad device is Apple’s first step to transition their subscription model of closed computing. In the new model, Apple will choose which apps are made available and how you may interact in the space. Microsoft is often fingered for evil restrictive practices but their past shenanigans are eclipsed by what Apple is trying to do.

What You Can Do Now!

1. Say to your Apple comrades “No thanks. I’m an adult and I prefer freedom to take charge of my life, digital lifestyle or other.” Don’t buy the iPad at the very least.

2. Support open platforms and devices that keep you in control. Share your support! Get on Facebook become a fan of the EFF, WordPress non-profit, digital liquidity, Savetheinternet.org and other freedom loving, open source supporting, user centric causes.

3. Buy Android  devices instead. No offense to BlackBerry or other competitors but Android/Chrome/Google OS are the only true competition for Apple. It has the same capability to transition from mobile device to computer without limiting its users’ freedoms.

4. Protect your freedom. Hack your Apple devices.

The only option to take control is to hack/jailbreak the device. And Apple makes the jail-breakers out to be criminals. Fighting to preserve personal freedom shouldn’t be illegal. These devices and Apple’s new approach to the consumers illustrate the clear and immediate need for us to take a look at the infrastructure of computing and the web and our freedom.

5. Read -How the iPhone Interface Creates Perilous Trends For Consumers and Developers.