Microsoft had something around 95% of the desktop market share in the 90s. Apple is not anywhere close that. I would agree it's similar in behavior but not intent. Microsoft was terrified of the Internet and applications that could "run anywhere" so they tried to control how people accessed the Internet. Apple is arguably adding these features because it's what their user's want.
> Microsoft was terrified of the Internet and applications that could "run anywhere" so they tried to control how people accessed the Internet
I see reflections of this throughout the history of the iPhone. Apple has always controlled how people access both the internet and even what applications they can install. Every "browser" on iOS is just Safari with a skin for example, because Apple will not allow any other browser engine.
Apple will not allow other browser engines because they are a subset of "programs that run arbitrary code".
Allowing anyone to put their browser engine on iOS through the App Store would open the door to a wide variety of security problems. It would also effectively bypass the App Store, as Google (just as a totally random example) could release their own iOS "browser" that's actually their own platform for apps that they sell. Not to mention inserting their own ads into anything people browsed on it. And tracking literally every single tap and text entry that people do in that browser, including bank passwords, credit card info, etc.
On a platform like the Mac, that doesn't matter very much, because it's small enough that basically no one would bother.
On iOS? If you could get 0.0001ยข per website visit from even 1% of iOS users, that would be a money-printing machine.
> Apple is arguably adding these features because it's what their user's want.
Apple would certainly argue that, yes. Foremost though, they're adding it because it's what Apple wants, and conveniently converges with the desire of the user.
