[citation][nom]wildkitten[/nom]Actually, Apple controls iOS, not Verizon. Apple had originally gone to Verizon for the original iPhone but Verizon wanted control of the OS, in other words be presented builds for approval by Verizon and Apple said no and went to AT&T. Verizon only relented because AT&T passed them in subscribers due to the iPhone, a lead Verizon regained with their purchase of Altell.But here's the thing, a person should not have to root in order to get rid of bloat/spyware. And Verizon is having the OEMs add in a root checker. If someone has never been rooted the checker shows "0/0", if it is rooted, it shows "1/1" and if it has been rooted but isn't currently it shows "0/1". The rumor is by many knowledgable on the Android forums is that Verizon will start charging higher fees for people who are or have rooted, thus discouraging people from rooting.[/citation]
Of course Apple has control over iOS, just as Microsoft has control over WP8. This is not about controlling the OS itself, it's "only" about inserting hidden apps that can remotely access the devices.
Because Verizon has admitted that the phones they sell on their network are "enhanced" with that feature, I can only be thankful for the open nature of Android, because that has been the one to raise the red flag for us. The closed OSes, like iOS and WP8, once they get accepted on Verizon's network, will have to play by the same rules (iOS is already there), but there is no way for outsiders to tell how the hidden apps are loaded and how to get rid of them.
Of course Verizon is acting like a ****, this being their network and all. I personally don't understand why we still have this CDMA standard in place, where one does not actually own a phone (even though one pays for said phone). Trying to bring an outside CDMA phone on Verizon's network is like pulling teeth, and they will deny support if they actually accept the move (haven't heard of them accepting, though, but I might be wrong).
And, we have to read between the lines here: Redmond is "said" to refuse to cooperate. What does that mean? It means this little squabble reached the media, and they have to save face and not look like a bunch of pu***** that put the relationship with Verizon above the touted security of their OS. I would not be surprised if Verizon will get eventually some WP8 phones, and the customer will never have a chance of finding out if his/her phone is "bugged" because we don't have access to the source code of the OS.
Yes, a person should not have to change their OS in order to get rid of spyware. That is entirely Verizon's doing and a reason I will not get a phone that I can not modify to my liking. Now that Verizon has publicly admitted they have spyware on their phones, our only defense is to have access to the OS in order to restore it to what it was supposed to be (AOSP for Android, for instance). So far, the only OS that allows for that is Android.
CDMA in general and Verizon in particular need to go the way of the dodo bird; this stuff with charging higher fees for people that take control of their phones is outrageous and could never be pulled of on a GSM network in a country where there is real competition between wireless providers. In most of the world, one can buy an unlocked phone and modify the cr@p out of it without any repercussions, and the networks allow that because the competitor's store is just around the corner, with pretty much similar coverage.
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