Paul posted about one of the arguments in the Free Software Foundation’s article 5 reasons to avoid iPhone 3G ‘. I’m going to talk about several of their other points.
iPhone completely blocks free software. Developers must pay a tax to Apple, who becomes the sole authority over what can and can’t be on everyone’s phones.
The iPhone allows free software. Developers do have to pay to be able to submit applications to the App Store, but once accepted to the store, Apple will distribute them free of charge. If a Developer wants to charge for their app, Apple charges a Distribution/Marketing Fee. They are the sole authority over what can/can’t be on everybody’s phones, but I’m not convinced that’s a bad idea. My primary phone is a Palm Treo 755p supports any software that was designed for the Palm OS, some of which is not particularly stable. When the unit is also my primary means of communication, the last thing I need is a rogue application crashing it/disabling it. By retaining control of what applications get on the device, they can work to assure that only stable applications will have access to the phone’s API’s.
iPhone exposes your whereabouts and provides ways for others to track you without your knowledge.
This is not any more true with the iPhone then it is with any other phone on the market today. Cell carriers are required to be able to pinpoint the location of a cell phone within 100 meters. This means that every phone has the ability to share that information and/or track you without your knowledge. To a large extent, Apple’s jailed operating system provides an extra level of security. Only the currently active program knows where you are; Apple reviewed that application to make sure that it was safe; and, I believe, you have to authorize an application to use your location data.
iPhone won’t play patent- and DRM-free formats like Ogg Vorbis and Theora.
iPhone has also allowed a variety of apps that reduce the need for the iTunes music store to get music on your iPhone (Pandora, AOL Radio, etc.). As for the patent and DRM-free format argument, this is all well and good; on the other hand, MP3 is the most common format available. Anybody who’s ever had an iPod has all their music in MP3 format already.
iPhone is not the only option. There are better alternatives on the horizon that respect your freedom, don’t spy on you, play free media formats, and let you use free software.
This is the reasoning of a three-year-old. We’ve come up with four “good reasons” so we’re going to sum them up and call them a fifth reason.
I like the concept of Free Software, and the Free Software Foundation for that matter. This particular argument, however, doesn’t hold water with me. I’m not rushing out to buy the iPhone 3G. I can’t afford it, ATT doesn’t have good coverage here period (and nothing near 3G coverage), but it’s revolutionizing the cell phone industry. Apple is doing things that nobody else is doing, and pushing the limits of technology.
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