The user-controlled phone, one that isn’t “applianced” by the maker and the carrier in collusion to lock in the user, is still an anomaly here in the U.S. Hopefully that will change once the Google Android phones (ones with a Linux-based open design that Google came up with and offered at no cost and with few restrictions) start hitting the market. If all goes well, Apple will get some good competition from a broad range of open phone providers who let users do what they like with the things, rather than just what one maker/carrier combo allows them to do.

A good phone is controlled by the user, not the mobile service provider whose signal it latches on to. A good phone comes to market un-SIM-locked so that the user can change providers at will and can use local-country SIMs when traveling outside of the US. A very good phone enables the user to load software of his/her choice without the control of service provider or phone manufacturer. An excellent phone can survive frequent falls and raindrops

SL

Note: to Russel Patrick: The iPhone is not highly priced as phones go, but it is scandalously expensive as perpetually locked phones with compulsory 2-year contracts go. Also, be careful when you cast aspersions on those of us who cannot afford the iPhone-plus-2-year-AT&T flim-flam, we in turn look down on people who fall for big-company marketing ploys just to make a flashy statement of what they can afford.