Re: @Neill Mitchell
I can convert my music from iTunes to MP3 any time I want. Is your bitterness and disingenuous argument the results of your inability to convert from mp4 to mp3? If that is the case then the walled garden is more accurately surrounding your ability to comprehend, rather than Apple's business model.
This may be a big issue to you, but I suspect it's more because you've CHOSEN to make it a big deal, rather than an issue that really affects your life from day to day. If you want to be perpetually pissed off then go ahead, but the outrage seems to be self invented rather than a real problem that consumers are upset about (witness the record sales announced yesterday). And spare me the inevitable "sheep" argument, the consumers are buying what works for them, just like any other purchase they make.