The Value of Ballmer

MG Siegler, while writing about why he loathes Android, makes a very interesting point about Apple:

Apple, because they put the consumer first and have proven time and time again that they will not bend to carrier bullshit and will often work against them behind the scenes.

I agree with that statement, but when I read it I was struck with just how important the above is to the overall experience of the iPhone.

• No carrier logos
• No carrier software
• Pricing parity between carriers (for the device)
• No waiting on anyone but Apple to update
• Free updates for at least two years (at least historically so)
• If Apple can port a new feature to an old device — they eventually will (Siri is an odd case and I don’t know why they haven’t ported that yet.)

Those are just a few of the advantages Apple holds over Android and I believe it is all because of Apples stance towards carriers.

The relationship Apple has with carriers is fascinating to me — Apple seems to outwardly despise them, while knowing that carriers are (currently) necessary for Apple.