Quick background for non-Apple users… When Apple introduced iOS (iPhone & later iPad) they wanted to start with a clean slate to create a product that was more secure and easier to use than a computer. They wanted a device that anyone felt comfortable using, not just techies. They also needed to continue to protect intellectual property, since otherwise they would be unable to maintain relationships with music and movie studios and keep their content available on iTunes.

Mission accomplished, as anyone from a toddler to grandma can figure out an iPad, and you don’t see iOS users dicking around with anti-virus software or having to pay someone from Geek Squad to “fix” their devices.

These benefits came at the expense of some freedoms, mainly with the restriction that iOS apps may only be installed from Apple’s curated App Store, which itself was heavily censored to block any sexual content, malware, or anything illegal.

Nonetheless, iOS users can still access anything they want, unrestricted, via the web browser and/or by transferring from their Mac or PC. And any iPhone user who is so inclined may jailbreak their device and install any app they want from sources other than Apple’s App Store.