I'd go beyond "bizarre" and "strange" and say that this article is just bad. --- (From here, I'm responding to the article via your points. This is not direct

I'd go beyond "bizarre" and "strange" and say that this article is just bad. --- (From here, I'm responding to the article via your points. This is not directed at you.) * The Frogger demo was weird and out-of-touch I can't argue with this on its own, but it was like 2 minutes out of a 2-hour presentation. Get over yourself. Also, it was being demoed by the company that made it, not Apple directly. Apple invited the company, and they chose to make this demo. (I'm sure Apple had input on the demo, but it's not like they'd say "No, don't show the primary mechanics of the game because it won't be exciting.") * "It feels a little obscene to gather to worship a $1,000 phone" So why did you go? Surely you knew this was the intent from the beginning. * Apple execs tout that new iPads are made with 100% recycled aluminum, whereas Microsoft and Amazon employees are staging climate change walkouts But that's the employees, not the companies. The employees of Microsoft and Amazon are walking out because their companies are doing almost nothing. While recycled aluminum isn't exactly a Holy Grail of environmental sustainability, it's certainly a positive step and something we should expect wherever we can get it, so it seems reasonable for Apple to highlight this. Also, 100% of Apple's "offices, retail locations, and data centers run on 100% renewable energy", and they've reduced their carbon footprint by some 35% since 2015 [0]. It seems absurd to be upset at them over this, of all things. [0] https://www.apple.com/environment/our-approach/ https://www.apple.com/environment/our-approach/ * The event seemed "eerily calm", like a "super chill birthday party" (what?) Because it wasn't full of HYPE, they should cease doing keynotes in the future? If you're not into it... just don't go or watch. Wait for the tech specs to drop after the event. Not hard. * The keynotes used to just appeal to white, middle-aged men, but now they have more women and POC featured The horror! * And, finally: "The company’s flagship product — the iPhone — no longer feels like a piece of the future dropped from into the hands of mere mortals. It feels like, well, a phone, a commodity. And so the whole thing seems gratuitous." It's almost like — gasp! — it's not possible to create "pieces of the future" on a yearly basis. --- Don't get me wrong: Apple is not without flaws. (For a recent example, see their handling of the whole Uyghur issue. That was awful.) But these are such minor points that can easily be alleviated by the author of the article simply not going. If you're not into it, don't go! Apple can do whatever they want, and other people can pay attention (or not!) as they wish. But trying to say "Hey, I didn't your event so I think you should stop having it" is just dumb.