c.m.w.

Apple created the iPhone.

Apple created the App Store.

And they were good so the customers came.

Apple opened the App Store it created to third parties and said, “You can sell your product on *our* App Store and this is how much we charge for it.  You don’t have to sell your product here but if you want access to the base of customers we created with our iPhone/App Store products, this is how we allow it.”

App developers said, “Not fair!  You have to share your customers with us!  We can’t make a product as good as yours so we want access to your customers instead.”

How anyone can think this is rational is ponderous.  

The message is clear: Make something good that customers want and companies, courts and their governments will say, “How dare you make something so good and not give it to everyone else!  You being so good that customers flock to you is unfair competition. You must be penalized for your goodness. We force you to share with those who cannot innovate the way you did. They deserve to benefit from your success just as much as you do.  Never mind the fact that they made none of the investment, took none of the risks and contributed nothing in the way of innovation! You are forbidden from being the primary beneficiary of your own success.”

I’m a Proton subscriber. I’d be OK if Apple kicked them off the App Store.   But the courts wouldn’t allow that, I’m sure.

I mostly blame the EU (but it started in the USA) for these entitled attitudes. If only Apple would say “screw this” and pull out of the EU market. Yes, it’s extreme and a massive kick in the teeth but it would de-fang the EU and get them to backpedal on their stupidity in a hurry.  The outcry from their constituents would be deafening.  And other companies would be emboldened to follow suit and the EU would be forced to back off their dictatorial behavior. But no, every company caves and complies and the EU continues to set the terms.

Sack up, Apple. Take the offensive in a bold way or you will continue to get fined and regulated until you buckle and/or get broken up like Bell System did.

My wife and I both have the AppleCard, have similar incomes and similar credit scores. And as you would expect, we have the same limit on our cards.  No gender bias here.  Not sure how one tweet from someone who doesn’t offer any details is justification for an investigation.

It’s like our parents are getting divorced and trying to hurt each other but only hurt the kids instead. 

Can someone please define what it is to be a professional that is worthy of these missing features? I would like to know if I make the cut so I can start being angry that my perfectly awesome MBP has left me in some way jilted.

Seriously, what are the criteria?  So far it seems that the definition is arbitrary and individualized.