4 ms·

Apple of late is a mystery. Their software and hardware product quality is wildly inconsistent and, yet, with the most simplest of hardware like AirTags and Air

Apple of late is a mystery. Their software and hardware product quality is wildly inconsistent and, yet, with the most simplest of hardware like AirTags and AirPods, they're like magic. iPhones, I could hardly care less about. These new airtags? Insta buy!

throwfaraway4 9mo ago
I'm not convinced AirPods are that "simple" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB_8dGKh9JI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB_8dGKh9JI
- prodigycorp 9mo ago
  Or their chargers! https://www.chargerlab.com/apple-18w-usb-c-power-adapter-a1695-teardown-review-beautiful-inside-and-out/ https://www.chargerlab.com/apple-18w-usb-c-power-adapter-a16...
- fragmede 9mo ago
  Airpods are a great example of good UX making things seem simple. There's a ridiculous amount of engineering that goes into making them work as well as they do.
- m463 9mo ago
  yes, apple has a LOT of hidden complexity. Another example is their dongles - many of them have significant processing power, like video conversion chips inside the shell.
  - emchammer 9mo ago
    Apple’s headphones adapter contains very high quality output and driver hardware. Their basic software usability quality problems simply shortchange everyone involved.
  - dlcarrier 9mo ago
    The quality would be better if those weren't needed, though.
FigurativeVoid 9mo ago
I've started to dislike the narrative that "Apple never leads the pack, but it waits to release the best product." But that hasn't been true for a decade. Most improvements have been marginal, and they totally missed the boat on LLMs.
- no_wizard 9mo ago
  To be fair, I think everyone but Google has been missing the boat on LLMs as platform integrations. I call out Google as an exception because Gemini when it works correctly from an integration point of view can actually do some cool stuff like predictive suggestions in messaging based on context, though I wish it was all on device stuff, as on a privacy level I don’t trust Google That said, it’s not like they’re so far and above anyone else they blow the competition out of the water either, they simply managed to make the functionality sometimes useful
- postexitus 9mo ago
  Why should Apple care about LLMs? They missed the boat on cloud, cryptocurrencies and on search engines. So what? It's not their business - they can just license a good offering and move on to what they do best : Products.
- AdamN 9mo ago
  LLMs are way outside their lane. With that said they've been focused on the underlying components to enable LLMs since way before ChatGPT was on the scene: Unified Memory, Neural Accelerator, even Spotlight counts (as a data source), etc... There was no world where they were going to be the breakthrough leader in LLM development. That's a problem they can catch up on when they need to or license the technology.
kwanbix 9mo ago
I can see it in AirTags, but, haven't used AirPods myself, what is so "magical" about them? Also, my understanding is that AirTags are only usable if you have an iPhone, am I wrong?
- criddell 9mo ago
  I've used them with my iPad. I don't have a Mac, but I would guess they work with any Find My-capable machine.
- singularity2001 9mo ago
  That just work. I know it sounds simple but if you have been burned by Bluetooth devices before again and again get unburned by AirPods. Also, they stick in my ear even though all other headsets with cable fell out. I don´t know how
  - kwanbix 9mo ago
    Maybe I got lucky, but I never had issues with my Bose, Shokz, or even with my Soundcore headphones and bluetooth. I don't use in ear, so I can not comment on that.
    - tuetuopay 9mo ago
      From what I've read, it's an accumulation of small details. I have a pair of Soundcore buds, and they work well. Unless only one of the two decides to not connect to the phone. Or they randomly decide to change the noise cancellation setting. Or their gesture detection randomly triggers. To be fair, it's pretty rare and easy to fix: put them back in the case and back out, etc. But it's small things that remind me "yeah, I did not shell out for AirPods". (also, their transparency mode for conversations is nigh useless, but it may be because those are a 4 year old model). I regularily use a pair of Sony headphones too, and they are a bit less troublesome, because it's a much simpler product: a single BT connection, physical buttons for some quick controls, etc. But they still have their warts: can't charge and be used at the same time, handoff between two source devices still don't work after years, etc. It's an accumulation of details that are not big, happen rarely, and don't need much to get used to. But they still need to get used to.
otterley 9mo ago
Apple is a big company. I’d be more surprised if they were completely consistent.
tacker2000 9mo ago
How are Airtags or Airpods simple? Cramming lots of tech into a small footprint is an extremely complex affair.
- dangus 9mo ago
  Simple user experience.
tonyedgecombe 9mo ago
>Their software and hardware product quality is wildly inconsistent Their hardware has been exceptional in recent years.

throwfaraway4 9mo ago

I'm not convinced AirPods are that "simple" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB_8dGKh9JI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB_8dGKh9JI

prodigycorp 9mo ago
Or their chargers! https://www.chargerlab.com/apple-18w-usb-c-power-adapter-a1695-teardown-review-beautiful-inside-and-out/ https://www.chargerlab.com/apple-18w-usb-c-power-adapter-a16...
fragmede 9mo ago
Airpods are a great example of good UX making things seem simple. There's a ridiculous amount of engineering that goes into making them work as well as they do.
m463 9mo ago
yes, apple has a LOT of hidden complexity. Another example is their dongles - many of them have significant processing power, like video conversion chips inside the shell.
- emchammer 9mo ago
  Apple’s headphones adapter contains very high quality output and driver hardware. Their basic software usability quality problems simply shortchange everyone involved.
- dlcarrier 9mo ago
  The quality would be better if those weren't needed, though.

FigurativeVoid 9mo ago

I've started to dislike the narrative that "Apple never leads the pack, but it waits to release the best product." But that hasn't been true for a decade. Most improvements have been marginal, and they totally missed the boat on LLMs.

no_wizard 9mo ago
To be fair, I think everyone but Google has been missing the boat on LLMs as platform integrations. I call out Google as an exception because Gemini when it works correctly from an integration point of view can actually do some cool stuff like predictive suggestions in messaging based on context, though I wish it was all on device stuff, as on a privacy level I don’t trust Google That said, it’s not like they’re so far and above anyone else they blow the competition out of the water either, they simply managed to make the functionality sometimes useful
postexitus 9mo ago
Why should Apple care about LLMs? They missed the boat on cloud, cryptocurrencies and on search engines. So what? It's not their business - they can just license a good offering and move on to what they do best : Products.
AdamN 9mo ago
LLMs are way outside their lane. With that said they've been focused on the underlying components to enable LLMs since way before ChatGPT was on the scene: Unified Memory, Neural Accelerator, even Spotlight counts (as a data source), etc... There was no world where they were going to be the breakthrough leader in LLM development. That's a problem they can catch up on when they need to or license the technology.

kwanbix 9mo ago

I can see it in AirTags, but, haven't used AirPods myself, what is so "magical" about them? Also, my understanding is that AirTags are only usable if you have an iPhone, am I wrong?

criddell 9mo ago
I've used them with my iPad. I don't have a Mac, but I would guess they work with any Find My-capable machine.
singularity2001 9mo ago
That just work. I know it sounds simple but if you have been burned by Bluetooth devices before again and again get unburned by AirPods. Also, they stick in my ear even though all other headsets with cable fell out. I don´t know how
- kwanbix 9mo ago
  Maybe I got lucky, but I never had issues with my Bose, Shokz, or even with my Soundcore headphones and bluetooth. I don't use in ear, so I can not comment on that.
  - tuetuopay 9mo ago
    From what I've read, it's an accumulation of small details. I have a pair of Soundcore buds, and they work well. Unless only one of the two decides to not connect to the phone. Or they randomly decide to change the noise cancellation setting. Or their gesture detection randomly triggers. To be fair, it's pretty rare and easy to fix: put them back in the case and back out, etc. But it's small things that remind me "yeah, I did not shell out for AirPods". (also, their transparency mode for conversations is nigh useless, but it may be because those are a 4 year old model). I regularily use a pair of Sony headphones too, and they are a bit less troublesome, because it's a much simpler product: a single BT connection, physical buttons for some quick controls, etc. But they still have their warts: can't charge and be used at the same time, handoff between two source devices still don't work after years, etc. It's an accumulation of details that are not big, happen rarely, and don't need much to get used to. But they still need to get used to.

otterley 9mo ago

Apple is a big company. I’d be more surprised if they were completely consistent.

tacker2000 9mo ago

How are Airtags or Airpods simple? Cramming lots of tech into a small footprint is an extremely complex affair.

dangus 9mo ago
Simple user experience.

tonyedgecombe 9mo ago

>Their software and hardware product quality is wildly inconsistent Their hardware has been exceptional in recent years.