[TheBattman]

Remember - just a little over a decade back, Apple DID turn lose of the hardware part - licensing the OS to 3rd party makers.

The lesson learned by Apple - it nearly killed them.

Now, with OSX, that game might not be so deadly for them, I still believe that experience is still in Steve Job’s mind.

[Spktyr]

In Steve’s mind... in the board’s mind... in the shareholders’ minds... in the users’ minds...

Basically, it’s never going to get repeated for as long as Steve or any of the long-term boardmembers and shareholders have anything to say about it.

[kingu]

Remember - just a little over a decade back, Apple DID turn lose of the hardware part - licensing the OS to 3rd party makers. The lesson learned by Apple - it nearly killed them.

A crippled edition was released to third parties, and only those who would only make Apple clones - bad bios chips, bad copies of the OS, it was a disaster by Apple's own choice, and people continue to buy the koolaid that only Apple can make an Apple.