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Is there a way to send a strong signal that we don't want this? Companies seem to think that they can make infinite money by denying customers what they want. B
by zackmorris 5y ago
Is there a way to send a strong signal that we don't want this? Companies seem to think that they can make infinite money by denying customers what they want. But in this case, the only thing propping up the iPhone is the dominant market position of Apple and whatever intellectual property protections and lobbying allow Apple to keep bundling their hardware and software. Maybe it's time to remind them of their legal vulnerabilities if they insist on pursuing these anticompetitive tactics.
My fear isn't actually Apple, it's the loss of Apple. I've watched as they've lost just about every last noble aspect that inspired me growing up. Somehow they went from an art and education platform to just another corporate behemoth. I find myself questioning more and more whether they are even innovating anymore, or if they're just using their dominant position to vacuum up all of the capital. Same with all of the other tech companies.
I guess what I'm saying is that I feel that Apple is already gone whenever I read that they're even considering things like this. If they do it, then I would feel a tremendous sense of shame as an engineer if I worked at Apple. That's really what it comes down to. Can we continue to silently endorse abusive behaviors by working for these companies, or is it time to withdraw our support and form new companies that do actual research and innovate again?
Big can of worms there, but, I find myself considering the idea more and more in these times.
- lotsofpulp 5y ago> But in this case, the only thing propping up the iPhone is the dominant market position of Apple and whatever intellectual property protections and lobbying allow Apple to keep bundling their hardware and software. I think it might have something to do with selling a product that customers prefer over the alternatives.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- zackmorris 5y agoSo you're really saying that if you wanted to sell a phone that could have iOS installed on it for customers to run, there's nothing stopping you from doing that?
- lotsofpulp 5y agoI am not saying that. I am saying iPhones are “propped up” by people walking into a store (or browsing online), looking at the selection, and choosing an iPhone.
- xanaxagoras 5y ago> Is there a way to send a strong signal that we don't want this? Stop buying iPhones, start de-registering devices and selling them on the second hand market. Use a flip phone or an android privacy ROM.
- SV_BubbleTime 5y ago> But in this case, the only thing propping up the iPhone is the dominant market position of Apple Surely, Apple selling lots of phones has nothing to do with people buying a product that appeals to them, and only to do their evil lobbying and manipulation. Too bad this evil company Apple has replaced the Apple of your youth, that was cool, and not a for-profit company. Homie, they’re removing the SIM card because they have the data no one uses it. You’re reaching into IDK-WHAT just to put words on the page. It’ll be OKAY.
- zackmorris 5y agoPerhaps I overreacted, but this is part of a deeper cluster of problems that decommodification deals with: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decommodification https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decommodification Vendor lock-in gradually erodes our freedom. I want to be able to use my own flash storage for expansion, I want to be able to replace my own battery without tools, I want a headphone jack. Times countless other questionable design decisions across their product lines, and those of companies which copied them, that make me sad for what could have been.