Apple gets a lot of flak for having control of the iPhone, iTunes and the iTunes App Store and process. However, Apple has not been credit for one huge thing they’ve done. They’ve practically eliminated software piracy. By controlling the distribution of software going on to the Touch, iPhone and now iPad, they’ve locked illegal distribution out of the system. Will it still happen? Sure. Will it happen with the frequency it does today? Not a chance.

By doing this, they also have driven software pricing down dramatically. A full copy of iWork for $30? Could not be done without full control of device and delivery.

Don’t think so? Let’s check Tweetie, one of my favorite Twitter apps. The desktop version is $19.95, the iPhone version is $2.99. The incredibly popular Things app is $9.99 for the iPhone, a fortune compared to most apps, the desktop version still claims $49.95. My favorite game Plants vs. Zombies (which I’ve purchase 3 times now in various forms) is $2.99 for iPhone, and $19.95 for the Mac.

The reason I bring this up is simple: The value of software is rising, and I’m a sucker for well-designed software that does one thing beautifully.