Yes and no, because no other manufacturer in the world ever charged for firmware updates.

Example Sony and the psp. They added new features but didn't charge a cent (users were even forced to update to run new games)

Or Microsoft and the Xbox.

Or when Apple itself sent a free update to the previous iPod to add games support. New feature not present at purchase time, but free update.

It's simply that the apple legal team intentionally chose to use creative accounting in a way that then they could say "oh no, the revenue recognition law of the united states' is forcing us to ask money for updates, we're so sowwy, please insert your credit card number".

The law didn't impose them to charge that much money (18 euro for an email client on a 300 euro device is a lot, IMHO)

And that excuse they used "the iPhone is a carrier subscription device so it can get free updates according to us law" is shaky as it was sold standalone in most European countries at the same time or the iPod touch.

Btw I didn't give them any additional money, jailbroke my device and added the feature that I was promised for free. And paying for iOS 3 losing the jailbreak? LOL

and then when they realized that they couldn't block jailbreak users, they put iOS 4 for free. Suddenly that American law vanished in thin air