The issue is that the barrier of entry for a new company taking Apple's space is too big.
I feel Apple has lost its alignment with me and other long-time customers
311–320 of 606 posts
Re: I feel Apple has lost its alignment with me and other long-time customers
#312> it’s a company that I feel has lost its alignment with me and other long-time Apple users and customers. When OS X debuted there was a daytime radio talk show in my area called “The Computer Guys.” They capably covered all sorts of computing topics, but were clearly long-time Apple dudes. And they spent weeks complaining about what a disaster OS X was. The Dock was useless and violated Apple’s HIG. The Finder made…
> Save your customer loyalty energy for businesses where you can actually establish a connection
I feel like modernity has brought about an identity for people as consumers. Much like a pro sports team who you have no relationship with beyond proximity, brands have slowly gained the same kind of consumptive identity associations. I see it by for the most in golf, where people literally wear caps repping their favorite club and ball manufacturers, rather than athletes.
For me, I’m prefer to associate with brands that have some kind of editorial voice that align with my own. Like media outlets, university, or individuals.
Re: I feel Apple has lost its alignment with me and other long-time customers
#313Earlier quoted context omitted.
I've used my past several Android phones without signing into a Google account or using gapps. I pick something with LineageOS support (usually OnePlus stuff) and get it from eBay, update to latest stock firmware (gets newer baseband and such) then flash LineageOS over it and get my apps from F-Droid.
These, “just change the firmware” comments are silly. I should get basic phone functionality from my phone out of the box with exactly ZERO effort. I can use an iPhone without an Apple account. I cannot use an Android phone without a Google account unless they changed that in the last few years.
The other aspect with setting up third party firmware as a general "don't like the stock OS? then do this" option for many is besides the big headline limitations like safetynet/attestation, it also either involves a benevolent third party setting up and maintaining builds for your device (hope you bought a popular model) and any changes match what you want, or individuals doing so themselves
Re: I feel Apple has lost its alignment with me and other long-time customers
#314Re: I feel Apple has lost its alignment with me and other long-time customers
#315Earlier quoted context omitted.
For me, the keyboard (in)accessibility is the biggest issue. On Windows I got used to navigating Explorer completely with the keyboard — this was a LONG time ago, I have no idea of the current state. On macOS, it's just impossible (or, at the very least (but I doubt), impractical). Other issues: - the fact that you cannot cut and paste files - dragging files from one folder to another can be unreliable/error-prone, p…
> - the fact that you cannot cut and paste files Back in time I also complained about this, but do you know that if you copy (CMD+C) then do CMD+ALT+V, then copy&paste becomes cut&paste ?
Also cmd-up arrow and cmd-down arrow to go up and down folders.
You can also click on the title to get a list view of the current folder and its parents.
Re: I feel Apple has lost its alignment with me and other long-time customers
#316It's often said that Apple gives you features that you didn't know you wanted, but at the same time, Apple forces features on people who absolutely do not come did not, and did not ask for them. And there's nothing you can do about it. Why bother updating an Apple device if it's just going to make the experience worse.
Apple may have decided that the user of yesterday is not their future market, focusing more on users coming of age now. They don't have to really care what older people think and how they use phones, because those people will eventually go away, and they need to be prepared for this future customer.
Re: I feel Apple has lost its alignment with me and other long-time customers
#317Apple is not Apple since a long time.
What you're using is NeXT.
NeXTStep, NeXTSTATION, etc.
Apple machines ended when Steve Jobs re-joined Apple. After he did that, he rebranded NeXT as Apple. Jobs took the policy, target audience, configurability, whole company culture from NeXT.
If it wasn't for this, Apple would probably go bankrupt, so it's not like there was some other choice.
It is what it is.
Re: I feel Apple has lost its alignment with me and other long-time customers
#318The issue is that the barrier of entry for a new company taking Apple's space is too big.
Apple is the only company that controls both the hardware and the software. It's absolutely impossible to compete with them on UX for regular users. A completely new paradigm of computing would have to be created and popularized.
You can't compare macOS with Windows or Linux. These are entirely different games they are playing.
I'm a power user, I would say. I have a Windows workstation at home just because I need to use 2 apps for 3D printing that only exist on Windows.
I have a Raspberry Pi 5 with 2 displays plugged in for monitoring my systems.
I have a Ubuntu server at OVH.
And 2 MacBooks that I use for everything else (running my business). My primary reason is that there are about 10 apps crucial to my business, and they do not exist on other platforms, such as Vellum for book publishing. Yes, there are alternatives on other platforms, but nothing comes close to the simplicity and speed of work we can achieve using that app. And this is, unfortunately, consistent among many niche apps.
Re: I feel Apple has lost its alignment with me and other long-time customers
#319Earlier quoted context omitted.
For me, the keyboard (in)accessibility is the biggest issue. On Windows I got used to navigating Explorer completely with the keyboard — this was a LONG time ago, I have no idea of the current state. On macOS, it's just impossible (or, at the very least (but I doubt), impractical). Other issues: - the fact that you cannot cut and paste files - dragging files from one folder to another can be unreliable/error-prone, p…
> - the fact that you cannot cut and paste files Back in time I also complained about this, but do you know that if you copy (CMD+C) then do CMD+ALT+V, then copy&paste becomes cut&paste ?
Thanks for the tip. It's not as convenient as CMD+X, CMD+V, but I might see if I can commit it to memory.
Re: I feel Apple has lost its alignment with me and other long-time customers
#320Earlier quoted context omitted.
Also on 13 mini. But my next phone needs a better camera, and the cellular radio reception needs to be better (my 13 mini loses network connection in weak areas faster than my wifes 15 or sons 16 pro does - they stay online, I’m out). I love smaller phones though (hence the 13 mini).
The problem is there aren't enough people buying mini phones to make it worthwhile to Apple. But that's only if they keep a mini around permanently. However if Apple released a new iPhone mini model every fourth year, I'd wager these would be like a McRib-style smash hit sales event, compressing the comparatively small mini-enthusiast audience into a time-limited buying window. It would also trigger FOMO at a time wh…
This is what I'm banking on. I really want a new mini next year.