There's also no denying Apple's contributions to technology and, indeed, Western culture in recent years.

Now that Jobs has stepped down, however, Apple has a great opportunity. Rather than maintain its completely closed and to the technologies it makes, the time is right for Apple to open up. Besides creating a more sustainable strategy for Apple, such a move would perform a great service for consumers, businesses and the world.

'We Know What's Best for You'

Apple will obviously never become an open source company, of course--I'm not suggesting it should. What I do think the company needs to do, though, is to recognize the openness that is increasingly we live in.

Transparency and accountability, for instance, are now expected by consumers and citizens of the corporations and governments that exist to serve them; just look at Wikileaks for proof. On the corporate side, consumers are now demanding that companies open up about everything from product quality to pricing.