I can't transfer over bluetooth because the iPhone software is not capable of it. I can, however, get ringtones free off the internet or make them myself and put them on the iPhone through other means, where as with Verizon, in the past, ringtones HAD to be purchased through VCast. The advent of multimedia centric phones have diminished this restriction, but as I stated before, they aren't really choking out their phones like they used to
the 2 examples I feel best describe how verizon crippled phones are
~the moto razr allowed for bluetooth transfer of ringtones on AT&T. Verizon installed their VCast software on the phone and disabled this feature so VCast had to be used
~the bb storm was (allegedly) originally designed with built in wifi, and verizon told RIM to remove it, forcing users to use their EVDO network
the main difference between Verizon forcing users to use certain app stores, and removing features, and Apple not allowing another app store or adding certain features, is that Apple is a phone manufacturer, and Verizon is a service provider.
Apple builds the phone and codes the software. They are the ones who decide what the iPhone is capable of, and what features it will have.
Verizon takes phones that have certain capabilities (bluetooth, wifi, user selected app stores), and purposely removes those features and capabilities that the device would have on another network
Sure, there's some things Apple doesn't build into the iPhone, but, if I decide to buy a phone that does have those things the iPhone is lacking, with ATT, I can use the features I paid for. With Verizon (at least, the old verizon), I can only use what they decide I can have. And when you consider that, eventually, I end up paying for the whole phone, and it's mine, what gives Verizon the right to take away features of my device?
If I buy an iPhone, I do so knowing what it is and isn't capable of. That is different than buying a phone with capabilities my service provider doesn't allow me to use. THAT is what is considered to be crippling the phone, IMO
