...GOES to sleep.

Or you and your hacker friends, could, you know, just vote with your wallet and not buy this Xbox console.
You don't have a deity-given right to get a second-hand-games-friendly game console from Microsoft. Fortunately, there are alternatives, and buying them instead of the Xbox can harm Microsoft without any hacking.

Are you sure about this?
European cell phone market started a similar transition a while ago and I haven't seen any decreases in phone prices. Granted, it can be difficult two relate the two but I haven't seen it happening anyway.
Also, I disagree too with what you say about phones not having decreased in price in the last few years: Yes, the top phones still cost 600$ or more but this year top of line phone also has 2x the power in CPU and GPU, and a better screen (among others) than the last year's top phone. So yes, you're getting more for your money although probably not in the form you wanted (a price reduction).

Well, this is precisely why do this: They want easy money. Besides that, I guess they also do it because it removes the pressure of competing with their own previous versions. Microsoft's worse competitor have been their previous versions for years too.

Please, someone mod parent up. I can't believe people are so selfish: These sites give you content in exange for ads, if you don't like the deal just don't go there.

Could that be the reason that Photosphere is not in the Galaxy s4 despite the fact it has Android 4.2? Or maybe is Samsung trying to distance themselves from Android. It seems Android wasn't even mentioned in the s4 presentation

Because of these reasons Microsoft is pushing software subscriptions HARD. e.g.: Office 2013: There's the traditional version pay-once-run-forerver and there's Office 365 the free-upgrades-of-office-while-you-pay version. Everywhere I see office ads these days I see them pushing the subcription version hard.
I guess it won't be long until they try the same with Windows.

I'd mod you up if I had points. This! a million times this!. Microsoft even, against every customer wishes, changed the start menu for a screen which looks exactly like their mobile phone.
They're totally trying to do what they're acussing Google of doing. I guess they're just bitter they're not winning this time.

Wee, of course they understand, it's just that they pretend not to understand because that's what's been dictated from upper management since they believe it'll make them more money.
It's the same as when Mark Zuckerberg says "privacy is a thing of the past": They want to make what makes them money seem normal and cool ...because it makes them money

It might not be at the same level of the 3gs running iOS 6, but Samsung have published 2 major updates to the Galaxy SII (2.3->4.0->4.1). An update to 4.2 is rumored.
As I said, that support might not be as good as Apple's but it's the best in the Android world.
Anyway I also think that Samsung waste too many time releasing too many pointless Galaxy Android phones

You can't be sure that Samsung is going to update the OS but AFAIK they've been pretty good with updates so far. At least regarding flagship models.
The galaxy s2 was released on 2011 with Gingerbread (2.3), so far it has received two major updates: Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0) and Jelly Bean 4.1. There's even rumors they will release Jelly Bean 4.2 for the s2.
Meanwhile, most phones from other Android device makers have received one major update (if any).
So Apple is better, but among the Android manufacturers Samsung are among the best.

In my Samsung Android phone (s2) you can, in fact, encrypt the SD card. I don't know if it's a standard Android feature though.

At least with open source you can fork. The computer stores over here are plastered with Microsoft flyers trying to convince people that Windows 8 is great and very easy to use with keyboard and mouse (*groan*).
I feel sorry for the sales guys who have to convince people to buy computers with Windows 8.
It almost makes me want to give a hand to Reactos to try to make a open source Windows clone.

I understand you and I agree that would be nice to be able to update to the latest Android version on your own without having to depend on the manufacturer /carrier.
Anyway, being able to update to OS of your phone (apart from minor updates and fixes) has only been posible since Apple released the iPhone. At least you have the Nexus option. It's not the ideal scenario but at least you have choice.
Supporting a device for a long time can also be seen as a differentiating strategy by manufacturers. And some of them are not too bad: Samsung just released a Jelly Bean update to my almost 2 year old galaxy s2. It went from 2.3 to 4.0 to 4.1. That's two major updates. Pretty good in my book.

I'd vote you if I had mod points.
I completely agree with you. Apple software and hardware is great, and I have nothing against them in principle but...the way they try to control the user is horrible and the artificial limitations they impose on their hardware for business reasons is irritating.
Let's not kid ourselves, Google is no saint, they are a corporation too seeking their own benefit but their software is more open and that's why I want them to grow.
The ideal situation would be that there wouldn't be a dominant player so that the smartphone companies would have to give the users what they want. Monopolies are bad for the consumer. Always