iTunes currently has
82% of the worldwide online music sales. A virtual stranglehold on marketshare. Apple is now faced with the same dilemna as MS - too much success, and the suffocation of competition. Can't see how this leads to an antitrust lawsuit in the future?
Competing music players can't access the undisputed #1 source of media on the Internet without jumping through hoops the average person couldn't be bothered to do.
Competing online music stores face having the undisputed #1 music player being bundled with iTunes software directing new owners straight to iTunes.
While not the same, there are some strange undertones to the Windows / IE issues. The iTunes marketshare of 82% is far more than the 65% marketshare of IE that has the EU banning IE from being shipped with W7.
Apple fanatics expecting their company to be some enlightened benevolent corporate citizen more righteous than Microsoft should bitchslap themselves in the face. They're in the business of making as much money off of you as much as possible and everyone else, and crushing the competition like the Wehrmacht with no mercy.
Good, because I own share in them.
As someone said, if the tables were turned and it was M$ cutting off competitior support, there'd be holy hell to pay.