Quick question re Apple and Microsoft

Not really. MSFT basically destroyed an existing competitor (netscape) by putting IE in every copy of windows. They used their monopoly in desktop OS to get a near monopoly in web browsers. They also did fun things like make OEM's pay for windows licenses for every machine sold or would raise the price of licenses OEM's did want. So... you bought a machine to put Linux on, you still paid for windows.

Apple on the other hand, makes a phone that has a controlled market for applications. There isn't a pre-existing competitor there that they are destroying, so it's not really the same.

The success of other smartphones actually works in Apple's favor here. There's nothing wrong with Apple having a monopoly on Apple products. What is wrong would be having a monopoly on all smartphones, then abusing that monopoly to corner the smartphone web browser market.

What Apple is doing, is pretty much the same thing that all of the game console makers do. You can't easily get software for a Wii that Nintendo doesn't approve of... Same with Sony, and, of course, MSFT on the XBOX. [yes, you can buy a Wii game at walmart... just not one that Nintendo doesn't want to license.]

Some tips to help you get an answer to your question:

Use a more descriptive title starting with "Ask HN:" and phrase your question in a way that will lead to a discussion rather than a yes/no answer.

I'd suggest: Ask HN: Is Apple following Microsoft's antitrust practices?

It seems to me that by restricting the iPad/iPhone to the iTunes/AppStore ecosystem Apple is acting similarly to Microsoft when they bundled IE and Windows. Am I wrong? What makes them different?

There is a number of different ways you can ask your question, that is just mine and I advise you to checkout the 'ask' page for more, probably better, examples. Also if you haven't yet you should read the guidelines page. http://ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Wow! Apple certainly gets a free pass when it comes to scrutiny. Apple is definitely playing in the gray area when it comes to anti-competitive practices. google voice rejection and a whole lot of apps that got rejected had no good reason except to main control of the platform.

Is Apple letting the better technology win? Or does it let customers vote with their wallets w.r.to their eco-system? Plenty of evidence sites the opposite. They instead want to be the guardians/gatekeeps of content/apps and many times it crossed the line to dictatorship