7 ms·

The Xbox isn’t marketed as a general purpose computer, nor is it integral to the economy.

Voliokis 6y ago
Apple's misbehavior includes locking out competitors to their own apps. This is as if Microsoft started removing Halo competitors from the Xbox (which they don't do). Just because of that the case is much, much stronger against Apple than it might be against Microsoft.
- misnome 6y ago
  If a game deliberately bypassed paying Microsoft their cut of the in-game transactions, you think that Microsoft would be fine leaving the game in the store doing this?
api 6y ago
I have always seen iOS devices as consoles, or at least closer to consoles than PCs. Anything with a locked App Store and a locked boot loader is a console by definition. MacOS is a general purpose computer OS. Considered as a console iOS is actually more open and capable than most.
- factorialboy 6y ago
  > Considered as a console But it's not just a console.
  - api 6y ago
    Locked boot loader, locked App Store. It’s a console.
- emsy 6y ago
  A console that hosts an app to fight a global pandemic, is used for payment, flight tickets, banking, web browsing (for some people it's their only access to the internet), navigation, taking photos, calling an ambulance. Other than web browsing, none of the things I listed is done on gaming consoles.
- ctvo 6y ago
  You should let Apple in on that definition so they’ll stop marketing and selling the iPad as a general computing device.
  - pier25 6y ago
    Exactly. How many times has Apple said the iPad is a laptop replacement?
    - api 6y ago
      It is for a subset of the market that only uses the web and a few apps. Otherwise, no, and Apple knows it which is why they are sticking their ARM silicon in Macs and continuing to evolve MacOS.
      - anoncake 6y ago
        That is not a subset. Running programs is what computers are for.
vincengomes 6y ago
iPhone is neither a general purpose computer, nor is it integral to the economy
- fomine3 6y ago
  are you in 2007?
AnIdiotOnTheNet 6y ago
Everyone making this "general purpose computer" argument is disingenuously taking care to define the term specifically to rule out game consoles while covering the iPhone. The fact is that modern gaming consoles are general purpose computers complete with media center capabilities, operating systems, application stores, multitasking, networking, web browsing, streaming, etc. Just like the case of the iPhone, the only thing that makes them appear otherwise is what software their respective owner companies choose to allow or disallow.
- anoncake 6y ago
  Why do people even feel the need to defend consoles? The fact consoles are also artificially restricted doesn't mean it's okay for the Iphone to be, it means they need to be fixed as well.
  - Voliokis 6y ago
    While I do want the iOS situation fixed, I don't want the Switch or Playstation platforms to be affected in any way. Sony and Nintendo are the only publishers still making decent AAA games with the patience to sink a crazy amount of money and time into their projects. We'd all be worse off without games like Last of Us or Mario. Changing the status quo could turn them into another Ubisoft (devoid of all risk or creativity, and with a massive emphasis on microstransactions and games as a service). And frankly, anybody bringing up consoles in this context is arguing in bad faith. The similarities are purely surface level.
    - AnIdiotOnTheNet 6y ago
      > The similarities are purely surface level. They really aren't. If you'd care to offer some reasoning behind your assertion that they are, I'm listening.
  - slaymaker1907 6y ago
    My take on it is that while both are bad, the iOS situation is far worse. Almost no one would replace a desktop or laptop with an xbox while many people have done just that with an iPhone.

Apple's misbehavior includes locking out competitors to their own apps. This is as if Microsoft started removing Halo competitors from the Xbox (which they don't do). Just because of that the case is much, much stronger against Apple than it might be against Microsoft.

misnome 6y ago
If a game deliberately bypassed paying Microsoft their cut of the in-game transactions, you think that Microsoft would be fine leaving the game in the store doing this?

api 6y ago

I have always seen iOS devices as consoles, or at least closer to consoles than PCs. Anything with a locked App Store and a locked boot loader is a console by definition. MacOS is a general purpose computer OS. Considered as a console iOS is actually more open and capable than most.

factorialboy 6y ago
> Considered as a console But it's not just a console.
- api 6y ago
  Locked boot loader, locked App Store. It’s a console.
emsy 6y ago
A console that hosts an app to fight a global pandemic, is used for payment, flight tickets, banking, web browsing (for some people it's their only access to the internet), navigation, taking photos, calling an ambulance. Other than web browsing, none of the things I listed is done on gaming consoles.
ctvo 6y ago
You should let Apple in on that definition so they’ll stop marketing and selling the iPad as a general computing device.
- pier25 6y ago
  Exactly. How many times has Apple said the iPad is a laptop replacement?
  - api 6y ago
    It is for a subset of the market that only uses the web and a few apps. Otherwise, no, and Apple knows it which is why they are sticking their ARM silicon in Macs and continuing to evolve MacOS.
    - anoncake 6y ago
      That is not a subset. Running programs is what computers are for.

vincengomes 6y ago

iPhone is neither a general purpose computer, nor is it integral to the economy

fomine3 6y ago
are you in 2007?

AnIdiotOnTheNet 6y ago

Everyone making this "general purpose computer" argument is disingenuously taking care to define the term specifically to rule out game consoles while covering the iPhone. The fact is that modern gaming consoles are general purpose computers complete with media center capabilities, operating systems, application stores, multitasking, networking, web browsing, streaming, etc. Just like the case of the iPhone, the only thing that makes them appear otherwise is what software their respective owner companies choose to allow or disallow.

anoncake 6y ago
Why do people even feel the need to defend consoles? The fact consoles are also artificially restricted doesn't mean it's okay for the Iphone to be, it means they need to be fixed as well.
- Voliokis 6y ago
  While I do want the iOS situation fixed, I don't want the Switch or Playstation platforms to be affected in any way. Sony and Nintendo are the only publishers still making decent AAA games with the patience to sink a crazy amount of money and time into their projects. We'd all be worse off without games like Last of Us or Mario. Changing the status quo could turn them into another Ubisoft (devoid of all risk or creativity, and with a massive emphasis on microstransactions and games as a service). And frankly, anybody bringing up consoles in this context is arguing in bad faith. The similarities are purely surface level.
  - AnIdiotOnTheNet 6y ago
    > The similarities are purely surface level. They really aren't. If you'd care to offer some reasoning behind your assertion that they are, I'm listening.
- slaymaker1907 6y ago
  My take on it is that while both are bad, the iOS situation is far worse. Almost no one would replace a desktop or laptop with an xbox while many people have done just that with an iPhone.