I think you have an incorrect grasp of what a monopoly is. Pricing does not have to be reduced in a monopoly, heck you can offer a lesser-featured, worse sounding part with worse peripherals for a higher price in a monopoly and get away with it because of said monopoly.
If an iPod is a worse featured product with worse peripherals there are other options out there, that may suit your needs. When you buy a new computer an iPod is not forced onto you by the fact that it is there on your PC and there is no way to get a PC without one.
The issue is the exclusivity agreements and the like that is introduced.
Look at the iPhone and the proprietary headset port for example. You are REQUIRED to buy additional items instead of using your own, perfectly good, working components.
Ehm, I have a Samsung T809 and it has a proprietary headphone jack as well. I have to buy the one Samsung sells as no others will fit. Same goes for their chargers, the aftermarket chargers can't get the plug to fit properly, so I am forced to buy Samsung.
The iPhone at least comes with a wired headset I can use with it. There is no need to buy additional components, whereas with my Samsung I definitely had to pay extra to get the extra wire with the right plug.
Last I checked, Blackberry's weren't exactly going for 10 bucks and they seem to be selling well over 50% of all smart-phones in the market even with the iPhone around. With regards to buying the product, similar lines have been seen for all kinds of products, recall people getting shot over the ps3? Recall the ridiculous lines for kids toys in the late 90's and early 00's? People will line up for products because of demand created for a proprietary item.
I'll agree with you on the game consoles. I don't play games at all, so to me those are null and void, especially since they are not devices that were being brought up. Whereas the iPod and iPhone definitely were.
Blackberry's are indeed doing very good, and I agree that they are selling but there was never the same kind of waiting outside in line to get one type of deal. The people who seem to own Blackberries the most are business people.
The difference? The iPhone was avaible in stock. The other products were not.
That is the mistake of the manufacturer. How does this have anything to do with Apple having a monopoly?
Interesting. Now read your other bit.
I did, I was referring to iPod and iPhone sales. People want them, they are not being forced down their throats when they buy a PC.
Really?
The tactics used by Apple and Microsoft are not so different. They have a market and they are catering to it with that oft-thrown around word. Synergy.
Not so different? How are they not so different? Where has Apple strong-armed it's music store over any other? Where has it forced users to use their music store? How has it forced people to buy their media players? Do note that songs made with PlayForSure can not even be played on the Microsoft Zune. If I bought any PlayForSure songs, I am stuck with other players. The same thing applies with Apple not licensing Microsoft DRM. If I bought Microsoft DRM songs, it is understandable I can't play them on my iPod.
How many companies out there make billions because of the platform Microsoft provides? Look at Apple, they have complete control from top to bottom of all items going into and being used by their products. There are few 3'rd party companies out there making money off of their Apple line-up of products because Apple controls most essential aspects.
There is huge groups of indie developers out there making money on applications they build. Amazon's music store sells DRM free MP3's which can be loaded onto the iPod and played. What are the essential aspects? A lot of money is made by selling extra's for iPod's for iPhones. Laptop cases, extra hard drives, printers and the like. And because Apple controls these essential aspects they are able to provide a better experience.
That is a monopoly.
Btw, what are you talking about the operating system designed to not work correctly? No other company out there, no other manufacturer has to compromise as much to get their product to market because of the sheer amount of scrutiny. Every decision is a lawsuit waiting to happen and yet, for the same and/or more underhanded tactics, you say Apple is not a monopoly?
I don't agree. You or I were never forced to install iTunes, we were never forced to get an iPod (eventhough I doubt you have one), and we were not forced to download from the iTunes music store.
The Windows not designed to work correctly was a reference on how they pushed out DR-DOS in the olden days because they wanted everyone to run MS-DOS when in reality it worked perfectly on DR-DOS. There have been other underhanded tactics by Microsoft to push a competitor out of the work space.
How is Apple chocking off the competition? If a device came along tomorrow that worked better than an iPod, provided the functionality I wanted, and was cheaper than an iPod (and it has to work with iTunes, since I already have all my music loaded into it), I would go out and buy it.
http://ca.encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861631067/monopoly.html
A little refresher on terminology and the meaning of the word.
control of market supply: a situation in which one company controls an industry or is the only provider of a product or service
What market are they the only provider of a service?
personal and exclusive possession: an exclusive right to have or do something
They have an exclusive right to have the iPod, since they made it, but to what do they have the right to exclusive something? Everything Apple provides, has an alternative out there. For the longest time I was unable to get a standard PC without Windows bundled with it. You could say the same thing for Mac's, but one could argue one is paying for the hardware and the software is free. Whereas with Microsoft's OEM licensing I am definitely paying for a copy of the OS.
corporation with exclusive control: a company with a commercial monopoly
Exclusive control over what?
commodity controlled by one company: a product or service whose supply is controlled by only one company
Products, yes. Off course no-one else is allowed to sell the iPhone. But what service is controlled by just Apple that you can't get elsewhere.
Cox, my cable provider is a monopoly. I have no choice but to go with them, since I can't even get DSL in my area. They control my TV, my internet and my phone service.
exclusive legal right: a legal right to the exclusive control of an industry or service, as granted by a government
Hahahaha!