charlesn

Ironic. All this panic over TikTok because, OMG, "the Chinese threat." Gotta shut it down RIGHT. NOW. Meanwhile, human excrement Zuckerberg proudly announces his plan to run unfiltered poison through the veins of America's internet 24/7, via his Facebook/Instagram/Threads applications, and this in addition to his long-standing practice of abusing consumer privacy any way that he can by monetizing your data. But all THIS isn't a problem apparently because he's on.... our side? Really? I'd rather take my chances with Xi. 

bobolicious said:

Beyond the uplifting Ted Lasso, some nature docs and rockumentaries I am asking if the balance on AppleTV+ is about conflict...?  I understand Apple was wondering why uptake is not greater ?

First: your summary of what's on Apple TV+ is just wrong. You should familiarize yourself with their actual roster of shows and movies. Second: you seem to be suggesting/asking if too much "conflict" is the reason more people aren't watching Apple TV+. That's actually pretty funny. Let me answer it this way: one of Netflix's biggest hit shows ever is Squid Game, a series in which billionaires run a game where hundreds of working class and down-on-their-luck "players" get violently killed and/or murder each other in pursuit of winning a giant pot of money. How's that for "uplifting?" Conflict, even very violent and gruesome, has never been a barrier to hit shows. Hello, Game of Thrones. 

The biggest difference between Apple TV+ and its main competitors is that Apple offers FAR fewer shows, even though I'd say the quality of its shows is consistently higher. In terms of quality, I'd rank Apple and HBO in the same league. The service that's actually closest to Apple is Amazon Prime Video, and I say that because neither Apple nor Amazon are primarily in the television business--a streaming platform is ancillary to their core businesses. But the similarities end there--Amazon offers a far greater number of shows and movies than Apple AND--this is critical--it gives Amazon Prime Video away for free to its 200+ million Amazon Prime members. No surprise then that Amazon Prime Video has a lot more people watching. 

Clearly, Apple thinks it needs its own streaming platform, although I'd be very curious to hear what Tim's reasons are for having one. Not suggesting there aren't reasons, but would love to hear them from him. Thus far, Apple's strategy has been to favor more expensive and consistently higher quality shows over volume of shows. I get it, and it certainly makes sense in burnishing the Apple brand. But it doesn't seem to be working in terms of delivering enough paying subscribers--or getting people to subscribe to Apple One, where some plans include Apple TV+. What we're starting to see now is a pullback on spending from Apple on shows and movies -- I thought cancelling wide theatrical releases of its biggest movies was a really big deal from a PR perspective. So did the director of the recent Clooney/Pitt movie, Wolfs, who backed out of doing the sequel and returned his advance money for it to Apple because he "no longer trusted Apple as a creative partner." Yikes. In one way or another, I think 2025 will be a turning point for Apple TV+.

Shameless? Nah,, it's actually pretty smart. I mean, c'mon--it's not like Apple invented the "Pro" designation, hence the reason they can't trademark it. And if you're going to use model names that can't be trademarked, this is what can happen, a fact of which the famously litigious Apple was surely aware. Dell saw designations that are simple, available for use and work well, so it's using them. Pro and Pro Max are a helluva lot better than Dell's usual model designations.

wood1208 said:

WiFi 7 support in M4 MacBook Air can easily make me upgrade from my current 15” M2 MBA. Apple needs to design/make its own in-house wifi7/BT6 combo chip.

Agreed about WiFi 7 and I'll go a step further: no wifi 7 support, no upgrade for me--I'll wait for the 2026 M5 MBA. The ultra-wide camera and Center Stage support is also on my must have list, so it's good to see that's likely.