” The apps use protocols that are locked down with dubious methods, and will not run on any competition. “
Sounds like Apple to me..
The difference is that Apple is a systems vendor, not a software vendor. Buying Apple means going in knowing that it’s a closed ecosystem to a large extent. In the iOS world, that control is absolute, though in the OS X line, you’re perfectly free to develop any application you want as long as you sell/distribute it on your own; API restrictions only apply to the Mac App Store.