> The current business model of phones in the USA puts as much control of the phone in carrier hands as possible. They lock the software done, install bloatware, and control software updates to the point where buying a new phone is often the only way to get a bugfix.
I wish somebody told me.
I have owned several smart phones and before that I had a java phone and each and every time I was able to change the firmware and do what I wanted with it.