Olivier Barthelemy
Aug 8, 2017 · 2 min read

So, now your recognize that iOS won’t let you switch defaults ? I thought alternatives were “very well integrated” ?

Google has stated again and again they’re sticking with AOSP and happy with it, and don’t mind forks — they’re even actively letting live Cyanogen/LineageOS and other hacker versions that they could easily shut down both from a technical (remove Google’s services) and legal (sue !) point of view, as for Chinese versiosn they’re delighted with them since a) it avoids Apple-like kowtowing to the Chinese gov and b) still lets them offer the Google stuff as a separate download. Google even said theny were happy when Facebook released its own Launcher. So, what are the sources for your assertions ?

I tried to find articles on non-Android sites, I don’t really know them. Is BGR pro-Android ?

You called activating the dev mode on Android “elaborate” and now list using Calibre (which I use and work fine, but is… obscure) and various tools to remove DRM (which is illegal in many countries) as acceptable ? Who’s got double standards?

iTunes exists on Android ? Or Windows on phones ?

Having to change all your hardware and spend hours converting your stuff is the definition of lock-in: it’s expensive in both money and time, certainly more than replacing a single device warrants. That’s why I’m refusing to get in with even a toe.. On the Android side, I can mix and match OEMs, going high-end when I need to and low-end when I don’t, and generally choosing the best device for my needs, w/o having to spend hours and hundreds changing all the rest. That’s “open”.

As a counterpoint to your closing comment, more expensive doesn’t equal neither better devices nor more sophisticated users. Looking around me, all the Apple “consumer” customers (not the pros) would be as well served by much cheaper devices and are generally as low-end as all other users. So getting people to overpay by a few times isn’t a sign of superiority either, except in PR and marcom. But indeed Apple has impressive success doing just that.

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