Google employee lashes out at Apple, iPhone

Tim Bray, who has recently been hired by Google as an Android developer advocate after leaving Sun Microsystems, has hit out at the Apple iPhone in his blog.

“The iPhone vision of the mobile internet’s future omits controversy, sex, and freedom, but includes strict limits on who can know what and who can say what,” he said in a blog post. “It’s a sterile Disney-fied walled garden surrounded by sharp-toothed lawyers. The people who create the apps serve at the landlord’s pleasure and fear his anger.”

The post echoes criticisms laid at Apple’s feet regarding the company’s control over its apps market and the iTunes store. Additionally, it comes as tech analysts have criticised Apple for launching a legal battle against Taiwanese manufacturer HTC, alleging it has infringed several patents.

“We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it,” Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said in a statement. “We’ve decided to do something about it. We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours.”

Bray pointed out in his blog that the iPhone is selling 90,000 units per day, but that Android is catching up with 60,000 sales per day.