(originally posted May 2010)

As you have may have read, Google’s Android has now officially outsold Apple’s iPhone in the US and how they did it is no secret – volume. They licensed their software across a bunch of platforms enabling them to appear on brands as varied as LG, Samsung, Motorola and HTC. No magic, just good business.

De ja vu all over again.

But didn't Apple go through this once already? When companies like IBM and Apple were hung up on hardware, some tiny company called Microsoft snuck through the backdoor on a different model entirely – software.

This is the way Apple has always done things. They create the content – like an operating system – and then insist the only way to deliver it is from one of their machines (fair enough). And when you create such a smooth interface people will clearly flock to it. But you’re only ever going to hit a certain percentage of the market. And while counting the giant piles of iPod generated money, Apple seems to be okay with this.

Control = total user experience

There’s no doubt that for most people, Apple produces a seamless experience from start to finish on the iPhone. I buy apps from their store, I load songs via their software and surf the web on their browser.

There will always be people who want the simple one-stop shopping experience where everything is right in front of them.  But it's safe to say people are becoming more and more comfortable with technology every day. There is an ever-growing sect of people craving something more expandable, more open and customizable (for proof just look at the thriving jailbreaking community).

Apple even recognized that with the iPad launch (and iPhone 4.0 software) allowing users the ability to customize their background. I doubt this means we'll start seeing lot's of customization for any of their products, it's no secret that the one thing Apple insists on is total and utter control.

What do you think? Is Apple's business style an outmoded one or is Android simply flooding the market on the backs of generic carriers?