Earlier quoted context omitted.
Because it's an artificial limitation to make the company more money, at the expense of customer experience and the environment (yes, locked-down hardware is also a sustainability issue!). Ideally, companies would exist to serve the public and so such selfish anti-consumer behaviour would be illegal. Unfortunately, they don't and current law seems to affirm that.
> Ideally, companies would exist to serve the public and so such selfish anti-consumer behaviour would be illegal. Given that iPads are the most sold tablets in the market, I would argue that Apple did serve the public.
These companies have convinced unwitting masses that this is in their long-term best interests. I assure you it is not. It is about being controlled, and the invisible limitations placed on an individual when they grow to love their chains.