Apple is turning evil and intentionally tricking its customers!
I have been, as they say, an Apple fanboy for a few years now. It started with an iPhone 3GS back in 2010. Then I got my first Mac in 2012, then another iPhone, another Mac, the iPad, then the watch and it continues. (In between I used a Nexus 5 for 3 years when I was doing my first startup and didn’t have money to buy an iPhone. After an initial love, despite Nex 5 being a good phone, I started not liking it).
With the way, Apple is putting privacy in the front seat, with its continuity and integration between the devices whether it is continuity camera or calls or copy-pasting, I’m getting more and more hooked into the ecosystem.
Note: I still think Apple fell into the privacy bandwagon by sheer serendipity. They saw people hating Google and Facebook. Those companies took their route very clearly to ‘don’t care’ about privacy. So Apple saw that as an opportunity and doubled down.
But recently, I see that Apple is focusing on the short-term to increase profits from quarter to quarter. There are several things I’m annoyed about.
Prices are RIDICULOUS
I understand/agree that pricing is always a factor of perceived value. Even then, the prices for the Apple devices are just ridiculous.
Eg; A homepod for $349
When the competitors are giving as low as $29 to get started with smart speaker, Apple, with a Siri which doesn’t work half of the time, is offering something at $349. Apple’s Siri is probably the worst product from Apple in recent times with a severe lack of love from the company over several years.
Tricking/Forcing Pricing
Again, it is normal for companies to offer pricing that pushes consumers or buyers to their highest tier or a ‘Popular’ tier. But Apple is really pushing it bad. The thing that I noticed and hate the most.
Mac 13.3 does NOT have a 32GB version at all
I mean — WTH? What is the rational explanation of NOT having a 32Gb ver for 13.3?
If it is to say that Apple keeps their line up with minimal ambiguity, give me a break. Look at all the iPhone models with all kinds of weird names. XR, XS, XS Max (all of these at severely high prices), but no iPhone X. You have already managed to confuse people enough.
Going back, so 13.3" doesn’t have 32GB. We don’t want to buy a 16GB right now with almost all the apps we use are already taking 12GB right away. In 1 year, it will reach 16GB. Now we are forced to buy 15" and paying probably $300-$400 + 1lb of weight. Thanks Apple!
Macbook Pro lines without Touchbar not updated to latest Intel processors
With my last Mac, I had the Touchbar. Other than the Touch ID, it is a colossal waste and if anything, a battery hogger + useless gimmick. But thanks for Apple, you can ONLY buy with Touchbar if you want latest processors. That is additional $300-$400 for something that is making my life worse. Again, thanks Apple
Apple iPhone doesn’t have a 128GB storage version
In a world where the OS is taking 25GB, photos hogging 10MB each and apps for everything, I don’t know who would take a 64GB version.
I’m currently running on an iPhone 7 plus of 128GB. With a ton of apps and usage, I still have enough space left. 128GB is definitely a sweet spot for many like me. But Apple feels that it is either 64 OR directly to 256, nothing in between. It is high time to make 128GB as the lowest SKU.
Wait! there is more — Even the latest iPhone cannot support proper 5G
The world is definitely moving to 5G and all the carriers are upgrading their network. When I asked why I’m not getting good speeds on my iPhone 7 Plus, T Mobile told me that the phone doesn’t support high speeds. I was taken aback is an understatement; I had my mouth wide open. I paid $970 for this thing not so long ago.
I was even more surprised that even iPhone XS doesn’t properly support 5G. The Samsung phones do apparently. @Apple — even the Samsungs do it. Shame on you! With T-Mobile and many others switching to 5G in the early part of next year. I don’t know what Apple is waiting for while selling the highest price tag phones.
Apple’s free iCloud limit is deplorable
Apple’s default iCloud is 5GB free, additional 50GB is available for $0.99. Come on Apple, 5GB for free. Really? In this age where storage is as cheap as it can get, you give us 5GB and starts bitching that “Not Enough Storage: This iPhone cannot be backed up because there is not enough iCloud storage available. You can manage your storage in Settings.” We are buying $1400 phones, $3000 Macs, $460 Watches and you don’t want to bundle pennies worth of storage along with it?
There are MANY MANY more things I can rant on, but you get the point by now. I’m not saying Apple isn’t good. They still make some of the best devices around. But it isn’t the same Apple it used to be. This one is turning evil, looking at short-term profits to clear the Trillion mark as the second company on the planet. They are tricking people just because they can. That’s not healthy. That’s not what we want from the most innovative company that has changed the way people live.
I don’t see myself leaving Apple in the near term. But if Apple keeps pushing their loyal customers to the brim to see when they’d break, I think people will keep buying until they don’t.
Arjun was the founder and CEO of Profoundis. He grew the team from 4 to 72, raised a couple of rounds and finally sold the company. His mantra is ‘Learn as much as possible, Pay it Forward and Leave the World’. He scribbles his learnings in the hope of adding some value to others’ personal and professional journeys.
