According to Steve Jobs' biography, this was a deliberate decision on their part...

		GFischer on Jan 7, 2013 \| parent \| context \| favorite \| on: WTF Google, you stole my $5 According to Steve Jobs' biography, this was a deliberate decision on their part, to better control the user experience. They didn't need to become a retail company, but they understood that the customer would be better served that way.