Let's say you spend many, many millions of dollars developing and designing a new camera mount and system and some other company came along and basically copied your design and started marketing products to your customers, the same products your company needs to sell to make up for the cost of designing and producing the new products. Would you do what you could to stop stop them, at least for a while? If Canon can't contain the knock off market at least until they have recouped their investment in the new EOS R system, they will be forced to increase prices. Canon isn't trying to stop Viltrox from manufacturing adapters, they are trying to stop them from making lenses that are reverse engineered. Canon spends the money developing and designing their RF series lenses and companies like Viltrox just steal the design and market their own products. I have nothing against Viltrox, I own several Viltrox adapters, including two EF to RF adapters. I understand why Canon is doing what they are. In protest, I will shoot my D850 today, along with my R7 and it's Viltrox adapted EF lens.

With a new product genre with unknown demand, like personal computers in 1985, it sure looks like open source and competition was the way to go.

Apple held on, finally hitting its stride with iPod and iPhone, but that took about 20 years.

Lens configuration on an established product like a camera? Canon will figure it out soon enough. Maybe exclusivity will work, maybe not…but I doubt they’ll lose customers with established glass over this, and the price point on the new product will remain high because of low volume.

Great points rmorrison!
The same thing applies to medicine and other items with patents.
I personally have no problems with people or companies coming up with unique idea$, attracting investor$, producing an item $, marketing an item $, $elling their product$, providing a co$tly one-year warranty, liberal return$, and hoping to at lea$t recoup their investment.
The marketplace will choose the winner$ and loser$, with either new or u$ed gla$$.
I feel your pain too, and I don't like the price$, but the wonderful technology does not come cheap with Sony, Nikon, Canon, etc.
Best Wishes,
JimmyT Sends

I have been shooting Canon cameras since the AE1. I am not a professional and have been brand loyal. This past week Canon told Vitrox to quit making RF lenses and Tamron has made the decision to not make any RF lenses and I suspect that Sigma will follow suit. In my opinion, this is Canon creating a monopoly. I don't like being told what I can and can buy. I have the EOS R and was waiting for the EOS R update. One reason I stayed with Canon is that I love the articulating screen. I don't want to give this up. What other cameras also have fully articulating screens?

A lot of cameras have articulating screens. I’m not very fond of this feature. It always seems that the screen may snap off. As for being brand loyal I am too. I have have had other cameras (still do) but my go to cameras are still the AE-1, Rebel 2000, 1v-HS, and the 5D Mark IV.
It is hard to decide when third party lens manufacturers stop making specific mounts. But don’t give up. I’m sure that there will be a company eager to capitalize on that void.

By the way, if your dog loves a specific food or treat, do you throw the dog away if that food is no longer available? No, I hope. Just keep searching because the dog is loyal to you as you are to the dog.