The proliferation of powerful mobile phones could see control of the internet pass into the hands of corporations. John Naughton writes for the Observer:

The Pew report found that 35% of American adults now own a "smartphone", that is to say a mobile phone with a significantly more powerful processor and much better internet connectivity than an old-style handset which could do voice and text and not much else. Smartphones (think iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile) usually also function as portable media players and cameras and have GPS navigation, Wi-Fi and mobile broadband access built in. Smartphone penetration seems to be following a similar pattern in the UK. A few months ago, a survey conducted by Olswang, a law firm specialising in the technology and media sectors, found that 22% of UK consumers already have a smartphone, with this percentage rising to 31% among 24- to 35-year-olds.

What does this mean? Essentially, that we are on the slippery slope towards a much more controlled, less open, internet. If these trends continue, then it won't be all that long before a significant proportion of the world's internet users will access the network, not via freely programmable PCs connected via landline networks, but through tethered, non-programmable information appliances (smartphones) hooked up to tightly controlled and regulated mobile networks. And if that happens then the world will have kissed goodbye to the internet's revolutionary potential.

How many people 'fully program their PC's'? - I'm guessing not many. Consumers don't care about open source they care about devices that work.

I don't particularly agree that we need open devices to foster an open web, Apples devices do nothing to hinder a great web experience (flash fans note the words "great experience") but I haven't given much thought to the network control aspect. Perhaps this is due to the fact that where I live I see little difference between the two - both are ubiquitous, cheap and offer unlimited usage. Maybe this is a British and American concern.

Smartphones can do everything - except safeguard the web