I guess you haven't been paying attention to all this brouhaha about the iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK). Apple has said all along that the iPhone and iPod touch will be getting a software update at the same time that will enable you to install applications, games and other software on the devices. The update will be delivered for free in June, for iPhone users, while iPod touch users will need to pay a nominal fee to get the software.

If you're feeling slighted financially by Apple, then don't pay the nominal fee, your device will still do exactly what it did when you purchased it. But don't think for a second that the iPhone users aren't paying for software and 'OS' updates for their products, and that only the iPod Touch users are supporting the entire development cycle. iPhone users are paying under the installment plan with a portion of their monthly contract fees going back to Apple to continue to develop the software. I was under the impression that Apple actually paid their software engineers, and I'll just make the assumption that many of the outside developers involved with this massive undertaking pay theirs as well (though I could be wrong). So continuing with this twisted logic, I'll then guess that the software to enable Exchange ActiveSync, new mail features, App Store, game features and whatever else was listed, won't magically fall out of the ceiling of some person's office in Cupertino and land in the iTunes store ready for you to download for free. Sorry.

I liken it to apple charging for updates to the computer OS... Oh, you want 10.5.3, updating from 10.5.x, well, you HAVE to pay $xx to get it... Doesn't matter how many stability issues it brings to the table. Doesn't matter that it was free before... "Sar-box" 'rules' make it required... 110% BS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's a cop-out for apple to rip people off...

akira34, Apple, nor anyone else, is holding a gun to your head to buy an iPod touch, nor pay for its occasional updates that include applications, which...cost money to develop, thus requiring a nominal fee. Does Microsoft have a stranglehold on the Xbox 360's OS, or Sony over the PSP's software, or does Nintendo have a monopoly over the Wii's operating system? Can you see how that argument doesn't make sense?