Has Apple Dug in Too Deeply?
There are reports that Apple might get an anti-trust investigation - over their developer policy, and the new ad platform they are ready to roll out. It would probably be simpler for Apple to back off, but after Jobs rolled out his "Flash stinks" letter, that's going to be a dificult climb down - as PC World reports:
Whether Apple will truly reverse its developer agreement remains to be seen. Apple believes it has good reason for its decisions, and the company may be reluctant to back down after Jobs' public defense of its policies.
Even if the lawyers recommend backing off (and who knows if they do) - Apple will have some egg on its face. I think it would have been smarter for Jobs to say nothing, so that his options could have remained more open. Now? It's in that emotional realm that's so hard to escape from...
