svanstrom

bageljoey said:

Didn’t read the article super carefully, but it seems to claim that it’s haptic effects were between cheap and Apple. If that is the case, wouldn’t this be an area ripe for an app rather than an EXPENSIVE stand alone device?
I mean, even if you had to charge twice a day, it might be worth it...

If this becomes a thing it will find its way into the Apple Watch sooner or later.

Personally… I wouldn't buy their device just to see if maybe there is a placebo effect that perhaps works in my favour if I just believe in it enough; at the same time as I do get the theory behind it, and I'm already a bit of a slave to my own health data, so I would have given it a go as even a $5/mo. app. That'd just be the cost of one fancy coffee, which totally would be worth it if it got me more focused on less caffeine; and/or more relaxed in the evenings after all that caffeine.

bestkeptsecret said:

svanstrom said:

radarthekat said:

I’ll tell you what this means.  It means it’s damn hard to change the world for the better.  I don’t see too many others attempting to do so at the level of Apple’s efforts.  I give the company credit for sticking  it’s neck out there with a hard line on labor issues, knowing it’s going to get glanced by an ax often.  But I guess some see the world in black and white terms; since Apple drew a hard line it should go out of business when that line is crossed.  Maybe, just maybe, Apple thinks that continuing to ship products and book revenue and profits gives it more leverage than if it fell on its sword each of the many times one or another supplier decides to cheat the rules.  

The counter-argument to that could of course be: If Apple really cares, why don't we see them invest in their own factories where they would be in complete control (including what jurisdiction they chose to place it in)?

Mainly because the prices of Apple devices would sky-rocket to the point of a steep drop in sales. If you think people are whining about "Apple Tax" now, watch all hell break loose if Apple built their own factories (preferably) in the US, hired American workers and priced the devices accordingly.

As a general rule you are absolutely right.

Most people don't know that depending on the business even something as small as a using a 1 USD more expensive chip could make a device 20 USD more expensive to the buyer; all according to some easy to see logic, once you're into that type of stuff.

But… take a look at the Apple numbers, and here's a local start: https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/10/31/examining-apples-impressive-647b-fourth-quarter-by-the-numbers

"Apple now has $191.83 billion in cash on hand": https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/29/apple-q4-cash-hoard-heres-how-much-apple-has-on-hand.html

Apple has such huge resources, and profit margins, that they simply don't have to play by the usual rules as far as markup; in fact, with these profits they've already deviated (but in their own favour).

So if Apple really wanted to they could be much more aggressive about human/employee rights, because they have the resources to handle the situation if a company were to call what they think is a bluff. Apple could insist on having their own security sent in to every day check that the local factories don't employ children, and they could insist on paying the staff directly themselves.

And Apple could very much start to build their own factories in other regions. It doesn't have to be a Chinese company building and running a factory in Vietnam, it could be Apple doing things like that.

Aaaand… these factories are not non-profit organisations selling their services at a loss to Apple; so we're talking about Apple taking their huge profits, and investing those into profitable businesses that don't exploit children and the poor. Which very much would be on brand with Apple trying to appear for equality and human rights etc.

qwerty52 said:

pizzaboxmac said:

Serious question. What type of market is there for a foldable phone?

Me too. I still can’t see the use of it. Walking around the all day with a brick of two iPhones glued together in your pocket?
And you will need this brick many, many more times a day as a phone, then as a kind of mini-mini tablet!
For the same money you can buy an iPhone and a iPad (a real tablet!)

What if they didn't call it a 2x brick of an iPhone, but a real iPad tablet that can be folded in half to fit into smaller pockets/bags; that would still be the same product, just with a narrative that would more fit into how you would like to view it…?

radarthekat said:

I’ll tell you what this means.  It means it’s damn hard to change the world for the better.  I don’t see too many others attempting to do so at the level of Apple’s efforts.  I give the company credit for sticking  it’s neck out there with a hard line on labor issues, knowing it’s going to get glanced by an ax often.  But I guess some see the world in black and white terms; since Apple drew a hard line it should go out of business when that line is crossed.  Maybe, just maybe, Apple thinks that continuing to ship products and book revenue and profits gives it more leverage than if it fell on its sword each of the many times one or another supplier decides to cheat the rules.  

The counter-argument to that could of course be: If Apple really cares, why don't we see them invest in their own factories where they would be in complete control (including what jurisdiction they chose to place it in)?

pizzaboxmac said:

Serious question. What type of market is there for a foldable phone?

I can't speak for everyone else, but I would seriously buy an iPad mini-formated iPhone Pro; which pretty much is what I envision a foldable iPhone would be like unfolded.

When making calls I never put the iPhone up to my ear (it's either AirPods, or speaker); and the big iPhones I already find too big to carry with me unless I have a pocket/bag where an iPad mini would fit anyways. So I basically just want a bigger device, no matter if it's foldable or not.

A bit of context here: I do have a cellular Apple Watch, so I do have the most minimalistic "iPhone" with me all the time; and I often just use my iPhone and a foldable keyboard as my mobile work kit when all I need to do is type emails and make video calls.