It is a controlled platform which has pros and cons. The Apple way gives more security, privacy and better user experience. The downside is higher prices, less

It is a controlled platform which has pros and cons. The Apple way gives more security, privacy and better user experience. The downside is higher prices, less flexbility, reduced choices. One of the reasons I can stomach it is that while Apple is an enclosed garden they tend to use rather standard formats on things so you usually have a way of getting your data out should you leave the garden. I find that more problematic with the Microsoft world which uses much more MS specific formats which are often binary or hellishly complex to decipher or reverse engineer.