Apple slammed on “openness” at GSMA
Apple computer is not attending the GSMA Mobile World Congress 2009 in Barcelona, but it is not possible for the companies that are at GSMA to avoid thinking about the popularity of the iPhone.
It is difficult to ponder the cell phone industry and not have thoughts about Apple and the iPhone. That was especially true during a GSMA panel which included Ralph de la Vega (CEO of AT&T Mobility, the second largest U.S. mobile operator), Olli-Pekka Kallasvu (CEO of Nokia, the biggest handset manufaturer), and Steve Ballmer (CEO of Microsoft, the world’s software leader), and moderated by Wall Street Journal technology columnist Walt Mossberg.
The three industry leaders each mentioned Apple in relation to how he saw the Cupertino iPhone maker in the arena of industry openness and sharing. The three leaders have a different view of openness as it is defined in the cell phone industry, each from their unique perspective. These remarks were couched in terms of how Apple could be more successful if it were more open.
Both De la Vega and Kallasvu were of the opinion that the world needed fewer operating system so that it would be easier for developers to write applications for more phones. AT&T Mobility’s de la Vega said, “Customers want us to simplify. Our corporate customers, especially, want a smaller set of operating systems to manage.†That from the company that is the exclusive network for the iPhone in the U.S., apparently trying to get along with GSMA attendees.
Nokia’s Kallasvu was in agreement. He used the example of Apple and its closed ecosystem to highlight the kind of behavior that could limit innovation in the future mobile marketplace, according to a CNET article. He agreed that what the industry truly needs is more openness in application development and less tight control over hardware and software by a manufacturer.
Microsoft’s Ballmer also argued that hardware and software openness was important in order to offer customers more choices. To illustrate his point, he talked about to the number of choices that Windows Mobile customers have when choosing a device. He said, “I agree that no single company can create all the hardware and software. Openness is central because it’s the foundation of choice.â€
It is difficult indeed to listen to Steve Ballmer, who is not exactly a champion of openness when it come to his own company, talk about the “closed†manner in which Apple does business. Nor are de la Vega or Kallasvu rushing to give away corporate secrets to the masses. If there was ever a case of three pots insisting than only the kettle was guilty, this is surely it.
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February 18th, 2009
You can innovate all you want.
After all, Android and Linux are here and are free.
Of course, Android was ALSO MISSING at the GSMA.
What Apple does doesn’t limit what others can do (so long as you don’t use someone’s patents without license of course).
Apple uses standards. And others can use standards too.
There is nothing wrong with what Apple is doing.
Apple, of course, redefined and out-innovated everyone else. This is why everyone else is copying Apple.
Copying, however, is NOT innovation. This is where they all are bull shitting.
To tell the truth, all they want is to be able to make a pure clone of the iPhone and ride on Apple’s coattails for free.
Of course, they also did this with Microsoft. But look how far Microsoft has taken them. Nowhere.