> Since they seem to be determined to legislate every detail of the product, from ports used to software protocols, maybe they should indeed just skip the middleman and acquire the phone makers.

And in every case where they don't legislate it, companies don't give a crap.

Silly example. I went to buy a broom/mop stick to use with broom/mop heads I had at home.

Guess what, they stopped making the original, and 3 different supermarkets had slightly different stick diameters, so they weren't compatible with the other brands.

I really need that level of innovation in my life...