At the beginning of this year, I thought the sky was the limit for Apple. They've been releasing great computers, iPhone rumors were high, people loved iPods, and new people were being introduced to the best alternative to Windows around. Vista was released and it became apparent that there was nothing that could hold Apple back.

Except themselves.

The iPhone was released to high acclaim, and it was obvious that this new device was the next step in the evolution of mobile communications devices. It had a great interface, a shiny exterior, an innovative touch screen, and more. It was truly something nobody had seen before - something better.

The iPhone was locked down. No problem - a whole community of hackers sprung up and in no time flat you could have an unlocked iPhone running all the 3rd party applications that your heart could desire. Despite Apple's locked platform, the iPhone became an open and amazing wonderland for 3rd party development almost overnight. Developers rushed to it like no other operating system or device I've ever seen.

Then Apple decided to take it all away. Jobs giveth, Jobs taketh away. Overnight anyone who put a stake in 3rd party development for the iPhone had all their hard work dashed away when Apple released version 1.1.1 of the iPhone firmware. Many people believe that Apple broke the hacks on purpose.

I don't intend to get into whether or not the iPhone should be an open platform for development, as that has already been talked about to death. But it's important to think about the affect that this is going to have on Apple and their overall strategy.

When the iPod began taking hold, people who would have never purchased an Apple product suddenly swarmed to Apple stores to get their hands on one of the new shiny audio players. Apple's recent success with their computer line is a direct result of their brilliant marketing with the iPod. They reintroduced themselves to the people and had a great line of products to back it up. Especially after the intel switch, you started seeing Macs everywhere. Things looked good for Apple.

But now we have the iPhone - a whole new realm for Apple. Their proudest achievement since the original macintosh computers, and unfortunately most likely destined to the same fate.

What are people's biggest complaints about Macs? "But I won't be able to run all my Windows programs!" people scream when you tell them how great macs are. While these perceptions are slowly fading away, the iPhone is making people re-building their perceptions of the Mac as a closed platform with no software choice.

Apple is ruining all the perceptions they have worked so hard to create.

Why would I buy a Mac when I can see how Apple treats iPhone developers? Why would I want to run OS X when Apple intentionally breaks their platform to get rid of programs that people want and use? All the old perceptions are coming back, and the great day of the Mac is ending before it even has fully started.

Just like before. Just like the Macintosh.

In a year or two, the market will be flooded with iPhone imitators. Once again we'll have the Macintosh and the P.C. The platform that gives users freedom and choice for less money, or the closed shiny toy that nobody can see a reason to buy. Even if the iPhone is better, it will be dethroned. People will flock to the stores and buy the Motorola IPWN - free with contract, and the iPhone will be a forgotten relic people will barely remember.

History repeats itself. As soon as Jobs picks up steam, he seems determined to ruin everything.

Apple seems to be making all the wrong moves - and they haven't even given any reason for their decisions. I'm not saying they have to - the iPhone is what it is, and Apple has no responsibility to do anything different then what they're doing. But that doesn't make their moves smart. How does an open platform hurt Apple?

More importantly, how does it hurt the customers? Apple is supposed to be for "the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the trouble makers, the round pegs in the square holes, the ones who think differently," yet they're trying to corral everyone into their nickle and dime iTunes store to buy ringtones and watered down applications (not Applications yet, but this seems to be the plan).

To add insult to injury, look at Microsoft. They have released their new Zune - not only did it get a design refresh, but it got a myriad of new features. And while Apple users are kicking themselves for buying 1st gen Apple products, Microsoft is letting users put the new Zune's firmware on their old 1st gen Zunes - giving them all the features of the new players.

If I was in the market for an MP3 player, I'd be taking a serious look at the Zune right now - because I know Redmond is going to back their product up, while Apple is going to abandon theirs.

I think Apple can still save themselves from ... err ... themselves, but it's going to take drastic measures. They need to open up the iPhone, like yesterday, and they need to start encouraging a development community. I understand leaving the phones locked, but they could take a slightly more passive approach to unlockers, or at least admit that under the DMCA, users have a right to unlock their phones.

Will it happen? Probably not, but only time will tell. Until then, I'm waiting for the first phone that can get it right - function and features all in the same package.