I would love that, but it's a utopian vision. Apple will create a closed system only for them. Google will create a separate system. Firefox OS or any future competitors will be screwed over.

This is effectively saying that the very GSM standard you cited is impossible.

Particularly in light of close regulatory scrutiny in Europe, that seems unlikely.

The GSM standard was possible in 1981 when it was designed by a handful of public telecoms and regulators in Europe who had consumer protection and intra-european competition as a stated goal.

The new standard will be designed by corporate behemoths who's goal is lock-in and a competitive advantage (not just Apple and Google but companies like AT&T and Vodafone who want to kill MVNOs).

As I said, European regulators -- both telecom and competition -- would not look kindly on such an outcome. In the US, the FCC is also unlikely to like it, nor will courts.

You're basically saying that the outcome of a new standards process will be obviously illegal.