LordeHawk

lkrupp said:

Somebody always comes along to throw shade on things like this so I’ll do it this time. The cultural advocates are not too happy with Apple taking over what they consider a part of D.C. heritage and turning it into an Apple temple, even though they have failed numerous times over the years to get anything funded to restore the building. Many proposed projects but no action. Apple apparently spent $30 million on the restoration efforts and now those advocates are unhappy about it.

https://www.citylab.com/design/2019/05/apple-store-washington-dc-carnegie-library-history-mt-vernon/589135/

"By leasing the Carnegie Library building to Apple, the city has turned over a prominent cultural asset to an exclusive use: a tech enclave whose products are out of reach for many residents.”

ivanh said:

The only “smart” devices I have with Apple HomeKit are a few Philips Hue lightbulbs. I don’t find Apple Home, Apple TV Hub and Siri together useful if I don’t declare the idea a failure.

But once I added a Google Home Hub and gradually a few Google Home Mini speakers in the “public” areas at home (but not private places like bedrooms due to security concerns), I couldn’t wait to add some smart plugs, more smart lightings, smart speakers, motion sensors, Comcast Ultra. I don’t even need to touch my phone anymore because Google Assistant is there. I could play Netflix, YouTube on any connected devices like TV and speakers at volume I specified at will, dimmed the strength of certain lights, change the humidity, turn on /off heater in another room, etc. then I forgot Apple HomeKit was there. 

zimmermann said:

I just read in the Washington Post that Siri keeps al the things you say, much like Alexa. Doesn’t this go against privacy policies Apple is pursuing?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/05/06/alexa-has-been-eavesdropping-you-this-whole-time/

There are some great points on this thread, as I expect from this community.  We also have a few short sighted people that can’t use deductive reasoning.

Cracks me up when people say Apple doesn’t innovate or is stagnant.  Apple’s products and innovation over the last 2 decades, were based on tech developed in the 90s.  In order to launch next generation products, we have to wait for the underlying technology to be developed.  As each generation of technology is developed, it requires a larger quantity of underlying technologies and increases in complexity.

Apple is spending fortunes on R&D, preparing the technology for tomorrow’s platforms, while their competition plays with folding phones.

For a company that doesn’t innovate, Apple is outperforming the competition In technology, profits, and consumer satisfaction.

iPhone sales are slowing down, that’s called market saturation, there’s no collapse of sales.  Every year, my friends and family in the Apple ecosystem upgrade our phones, it’s a low monthly payment.  Most consumers wait 2-3 years but there always seems to be some feature that drives upgrades.  I also don’t complain about my phone cost, I enjoy my iPhone XS, its advanced technology, security, aesthetics, and funding Apple’s future.  Apple will keep packing technology and sensors into the iPhone, allowing new possibilities.

Does Apple mess up on occasion?  Absolutely, the growth of any company or individual is organic and a learning experience.  

In my opinion, taking a season to round out services, their fastest growing department by revenue, sounds smart.  Successfully updating multiple processor designs on an annual basis, while pushing the state of the art, nerve racking.  Yearly updates on 2-3 iPhones, Apple Watch, iPad, some Macs, software and operating systems, impressive.  Then there’s all the products not upgraded yearly, the Heath Research Lab, internal resources, iCloud, Siri, etc.

Give Apple a little credit, they’re only human.