aross99

It's not Apple's job as a company to make it easy for their competitors to integrate with their products.  If it makes business sense for them to do so, then they will, if it doesn't then they won't.

If you don't like the way Apple does business, they don't buy their products.  It's that simple.  Why should Apple have to do anything to help their competitors integrate with their platform?  We are talking about a cell phone platform that has at most a 50% market share in the US and less world wide.  The alternative platform is fully comparable and 100% a viable solution.

All of these lawsuits are trying to tear down the very things that we Apple users WANT, and are a significant reason why we pay "the Apple tax" as people like to say.

I don't want to be ablate side load apps.  I don't want to multiple app stores, and I don't want things like "walmart pay" to junk up my phone and ruin my iPhone experience.  We pay a PREMIUM the the privilege of NOT having to deal with these things.  I buy iPhones for all of my kids because i DONT want them to have Android phones and have to deal with the privacy and security issues there.  If one of my kids wants a Samsung phone that's fine, but they are on their own to buy one.

It that same with Windows.  I don't want a Widows PC.  Haven't ever bought one and have paid a significant premium for Apple products for 40 years now.

Call me an outlier if you will. but I think I am pretty representative of many Apple users today.  They won't even CONSIDER another phone.  Why should they?  NONE of the things these lawsuits are about are meaningful to them.  No one I know cares about side loading, or multiple app stores.  Hardly anyone I know even downloads third party software for their Mac's either.

Don't even get me started on iMessage.  The whole argument on messaging is ridiculous.  Are we really crying over Green bubbles?  Do you REALLY want to send SMS messages through What's App?  Do you even understand that SMS messages are not secure and can't support large attachments like high resolution images and videos?  I know, what about Google's RCS support.  Personally, I don't care.  Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE that I would send this type of information has an iPhone.  I know this isn't true for everyone, but there are so many other options you can use as well.  Don't want to use multiple messaging apps?  Aren't you already doing that with Facebook messenger, and Instagram DM's, and Twitter/X DM's?  Why does this have to be any different.

I get that some people WANT Apples to support Walmart Pay, or Google RCS, or download apps from the Epic App store, or from Joe's Web site, but the vast majority, and I am talking 95% or MORE do NOT want these features.  They just don't care.  What we DO care about is having these features ruin the platform that we actively sought out and selected because of these features.

Bottom line, if you don't like something Apple does, you are free to complain about it, but don't expect Apple (or any other company) to make changes for things that are not in their best interest.  They are a publicly traded company whose primary job is to make money for their shareholders.  If you don't like that, then don/t use their products.  Don't try to take one f the most successful companies in the world and change it into something that will ultimately ruin the experience the those of us to DO enjoy using their products.

That's the end of my rant.

pay the same amount as last year:

2019: $999 + $30 AT&T upgrade fee = $1029

2020: $1029 - $30 "Discount" + $30 AT&T upgrade fee = $1029

The $30 fee is crazy because they never touch the phone and aren't really involved in the "upgrade" of a device.

The situation with the Airport Extreme is similar.  Lots of other options, but in my opinion, nothing that looks as good, or works as well as the Airport Extreme.  Anything else work with the Airport Utility?  I'll keep my three Airport Extreme units until they quit working, or until a new model comes out.

Some of us are very happy with our Apple branded accessories, and would like to stick with them.  I'm also glad that there are tons of other options for people who want other options.  It's a win-win if you ask me, there are options for everyone, and everyone is able to choose what is best for them.