EFF: Apple seeking to patent spyware

The so-called "technology" that would allow them to do this is just a timed legal maneuver on their part (the patent) to tax any and all that eventually do this to their customers or to try and monopolize that anti-feature.

In particular, they might already for years have been able to achieve 90% or all of these general/vague effects. The likely stopping point were the absence of sufficient market share, deals, and legal hooks.

It's also possible that they aren't just worried about competitors' threats in consideration of their current improved businesses but see the open source and patent free future getting a little closer and feel now is their best time to try to strike hard and big.