I'm on Vodaphone's side for challenging this, but anyone who says "Apple should just sell an unlocked phone" really doesn't see the big picture. People that say "Apple just builds the hardware, and it stops there" also don't see the big picture. Apple has faced a huge compatibility challenge with this product, and tying it to an exclusive partner gives them the control they need to deliver a consistent and reliable experience to the consumer. That's the gist of it. There are tremendous support costs required to support a device on the myriad of cell networks around the world. It's a shame that Apple has to forge such long-term agreements with partners (5 years is too long), but that's probably what it took to really make it worthwhile for the partner.
Imagine if Consumer ABC purchased an iPhone for use on Provider XYZ's network. Who does the consumer call for help with the product? Obviously XYZ won't have the technical expertise to support Apple's phone, so the consumer contacts Apple. Now Apple tries to help the consumer get the phone working on XYZ's network. The overall experience would be akin to today's Windows world... a mess. By choosing one partner, they can focus their efforts and train their staff accordingly, and the consumer's experience should be much better as a result. That's a big piece of the motivation behind this arrangement.
Remember that Apple may have created a piece of kit that has blown every other phone out of the water, but Apple is still a baby in this industry. It would've been a mistake for them to try and bite off more than they could chew. Their strategy plan is obviously spread out over the 5-year agreement they have with AT&T, and at the end of it, they'll be in a much better position to expand their offerings.
Nonetheless, I say keep the pressure on Apple. They may be new in the industry, but they are very good at what they do, and will quickly adapt to whatever changes need to be made to keep their offerings ahead of the competition on many levels.
