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> People don't want a computer or smartphone, they want the things those devices afford them. They're entitled to it, I say. Hell, I even think other companies

> People don't want a computer or smartphone, they want the things those devices afford them. They're entitled to it, I say. Hell, I even think other companies are entitled to make it for them. What they cannot do is turn this layer of abstraction into an excuse for infinite profitability. People don't want coffee makers, they want coffee! That doesn't mean Keurig is necessarily allowed to stop other people from selling pods, though. Especially if they become the primary way that people get their coffee. We have a democratically controlled legal system that holds these people in check - particularly when the market doesn't behave. You can still be right here, but if Apple is taking advantage of this situation to fleece people beyond what can be considered reasonable, then we have to litigate them regardless. Hopefully in the future, Apple finds a way to prioritize things like security while also respecting the user's choice and agency. It's time for armchair analysts and AAPL investors to take a hike. Some of us want Apple to succeed regardless of their monopolistic intent, and helping them requires us to prune their ugliest branches. We staved off half a decade of change with this "free market will fix things" mantra, and nothing improved. If Apple won't do what's right, then we'll be forced to.

shadowgovt 4y ago
At least in the American system, as long as people have an alternative computing platform (and they have several), there aren't a lot of backstops on what Apple can do to its users in terms of money charged or constraints placed on the devices they manufacture. The market is "computers" and if Apple tightens its grip too far, they run people off to another solution. Everything else is economics as far as the American system is concerned.
- smoldesu 4y ago
  In the American system, you're right. Apple is an international company though, and if enough countries insist that Apple play fair, how can they deny them? The American system led us to a situation where Apple's global presence is exploitative. If Apple wants to get increasingly petty with their compliance, global regulators are apt to get increasingly petty with their regulation. Considering how Apple shrugged off Dutch regulators, it shouldn't surprise people when EU commissions move in with bigger demands. If those demands are unreasonable, then maybe Apple can run off to another market. Nobody will stop you from framing this as a free market issue, but it's a comically small piece of the puzzle.
  - shadowgovt 4y ago
    As long as Apple's a US company, the US law will dominate its actions because they might make less money in the world but the world won't jail them (well, can't jail anyone who really matters to the owners). If they think they can keep providing a better alternative with a heavy hand, they will, right up to regulation constraints. This leaves us with your previous observaation > If Apple won't do what's right, then we'll be forced to. And I agree. And in a (mostly) free-market system structure like the US, the solution is obvious... There's a reason I haven't used Apple as my primary compute platform for approximately 15 years.

shadowgovt 4y ago

At least in the American system, as long as people have an alternative computing platform (and they have several), there aren't a lot of backstops on what Apple can do to its users in terms of money charged or constraints placed on the devices they manufacture. The market is "computers" and if Apple tightens its grip too far, they run people off to another solution. Everything else is economics as far as the American system is concerned.

smoldesu 4y ago
In the American system, you're right. Apple is an international company though, and if enough countries insist that Apple play fair, how can they deny them? The American system led us to a situation where Apple's global presence is exploitative. If Apple wants to get increasingly petty with their compliance, global regulators are apt to get increasingly petty with their regulation. Considering how Apple shrugged off Dutch regulators, it shouldn't surprise people when EU commissions move in with bigger demands. If those demands are unreasonable, then maybe Apple can run off to another market. Nobody will stop you from framing this as a free market issue, but it's a comically small piece of the puzzle.
- shadowgovt 4y ago
  As long as Apple's a US company, the US law will dominate its actions because they might make less money in the world but the world won't jail them (well, can't jail anyone who really matters to the owners). If they think they can keep providing a better alternative with a heavy hand, they will, right up to regulation constraints. This leaves us with your previous observaation > If Apple won't do what's right, then we'll be forced to. And I agree. And in a (mostly) free-market system structure like the US, the solution is obvious... There's a reason I haven't used Apple as my primary compute platform for approximately 15 years.