There has been quite a bit of grumbling about the Apple iTunes App Store for the Apple iPhone. Many of the approval policies, the lack of any application testing, and the sheer number of fart apps have left a lot to be desired. Well, the Google Andriod Marketplace has started a new policy that makes the App Store look like the friendlies place in town. If you have an unlocked, or in some cases, a jail broken Android Phone, then the Android Marketplace is off limits to you. They are trying to keep people from downloading an app, returning it, unlocking their phone, and then getting the app for free.

There is an obvious conflict here. On Google's side, there is a "Terms of Service" and a financial interest that they are trying to protect, but on the other hand, when a user buys a phone or computer, it is theirs and they should be able to do with it what they want. This is the same battle that Apple has been winning losingmiserably since the iPhone first debuted. I know it is a grey line, but it is a very significant one.

I suppose Google has the right to restrict access to their devices and their marketplace to whom they wish, but I am growing nervous about how much control companies like Google and Apple think they should have in how a user utilizes a product they purchased with their own money. As technology becomes more powerful, and as digitaldistribution of media and application rates soar, this battle will become huge. I would like to think that the user will win, but the users aren't the ones with deep pockets and an army of lawyers.

via CrunchGear