Apple: The Open-Closed Paradox
On an increasingly dichotomous Apple.
Steve Jobs is probably rolling over in his grave.
Tim Cook is being remarkably open about Apple's supply chain practices, particularly with regard to FoxConn. In the process, he is inviting scrutiny and criticism. Apple is being so, well, open.
Concurrently, the company continues to keep its platform anything but open. Semi-closed is the word that I'd use to describe it. iOS is still much more restricted than the extremely open (and fragmented Android), something that may well change in the future.
In the Age of the Platform, it's not a matter of being exclusively open or closed. You have to be bothβand smart enough to know when you should go in each direction.
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