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I would rather have a better phone than more options, apple's 800-pound gorilla-ness gets me a phone with: - an SoC made on TSMC's latest process node, with a

I would rather have a better phone than more options, apple's 800-pound gorilla-ness gets me a phone with: - an SoC made on TSMC's latest process node, with a humongous die, and all the associated power/performance benefits - because of how many phones apple can sell, they can divide the cost of R&D over more units, and can design things like their own CPU cores - "Ask app not to track" that works, because of the app store monopoly - I don't have to use 12342342345234 payment apps for each bank's credit card, Apple Wallet works with all of them (the EU wants to ruin this for Europeans) As a consumer, I'm a huge fan of US antitrust law, where the test is harm to consumers

oorza 2y ago
There's that old saying that a benevolent dictatorship is the best and most effective form of government, right up until the dictator dies. All of the antitrust shit Apple does largely benefits its consumers _for the moment_. It's worth acknowledging that, but it's also worth acknowledging that this is necessarily a temporary state, and under different leadership, Apple will make different decisions.
- Bud 2y ago
  [dead]
- rangestransform 2y ago
  if the antitrust actions actually harm the consumer, then the government can take action EU-style antitrust regulation foists shitty products on customers for the sake of ~~extracting their pound of flesh from US big tech~~ allowing businesses to compete
  - disgruntledphd2 2y ago
    > EU-style antitrust regulation foists shitty products on customers for the sake of ~~extracting their pound of flesh from US big tech~~ allowing businesses to compete Sorry, are you an EU citizen? Because I am, and despite the fact that I work in tech, am absurdly happy that they are actually doing antitrust (even if I dislike some of the specific actions). Big, monopolistic companies are problematic (from my perspective) and I welcome all and any actions that make markets more competitive, both as a citizen and as a capitalist.
Hikikomori 2y ago
>- because of how many phones apple can sell, they can divide the cost of R&D over more units, and can design things like their own CPU cores As if you're benefitting from that with apples margins.
echelon 2y ago
Apple's monopoly margins suck the air out of the innovation manifold, so who actually knows? Maybe we would have cured cancer already or something without the Apple Tax. All that money goes to a whole lot of incrementalism rather than bold new ideas and diversity.
disgruntledphd2 2y ago
> - "Ask app not to track" that works, because of the app store monopoly For now. If Apple suddenly take a 20bn hit to services revenue, then I'd expect them to dial their advertising way, way up. So yeah, FB won't track you but Apple definitely will.

oorza 2y ago

There's that old saying that a benevolent dictatorship is the best and most effective form of government, right up until the dictator dies. All of the antitrust shit Apple does largely benefits its consumers _for the moment_. It's worth acknowledging that, but it's also worth acknowledging that this is necessarily a temporary state, and under different leadership, Apple will make different decisions.

Bud 2y ago
[dead]
rangestransform 2y ago
if the antitrust actions actually harm the consumer, then the government can take action EU-style antitrust regulation foists shitty products on customers for the sake of ~~extracting their pound of flesh from US big tech~~ allowing businesses to compete
- disgruntledphd2 2y ago
  > EU-style antitrust regulation foists shitty products on customers for the sake of ~~extracting their pound of flesh from US big tech~~ allowing businesses to compete Sorry, are you an EU citizen? Because I am, and despite the fact that I work in tech, am absurdly happy that they are actually doing antitrust (even if I dislike some of the specific actions). Big, monopolistic companies are problematic (from my perspective) and I welcome all and any actions that make markets more competitive, both as a citizen and as a capitalist.

Hikikomori 2y ago

>- because of how many phones apple can sell, they can divide the cost of R&D over more units, and can design things like their own CPU cores As if you're benefitting from that with apples margins.

echelon 2y ago

Apple's monopoly margins suck the air out of the innovation manifold, so who actually knows? Maybe we would have cured cancer already or something without the Apple Tax. All that money goes to a whole lot of incrementalism rather than bold new ideas and diversity.

disgruntledphd2 2y ago

> - "Ask app not to track" that works, because of the app store monopoly For now. If Apple suddenly take a 20bn hit to services revenue, then I'd expect them to dial their advertising way, way up. So yeah, FB won't track you but Apple definitely will.