JMaille

So I've been using Apple products for a few years now, and as for forcing or coercing people to use iCloud, I don't see it.  There are better options for cloud storage than iCloud, many of which are far cheaper and have better functionality.  There are definitely backup options that are far better in functionality.  And based on my own experience, integrating at least some of these options in to the Apple ecosystem is extremely easy.

As far as I can see the only advantage Apple has over the others is name recognition.  There are so many other options many people just go with Apple because they recognize the name and stick with it.  It's easy.  Not easier to use, but easier to pick -- you don't have to do any research or thinking.

And if there is anything obvious about America today it's that the majority of people hate to do research or think.

So from my point of view the real question here is whether Apple is responsible because their users are lazy.   

Unfortunately, given that extreme laziness is obviously a very common trait among Americans, the lawyers for the plaintiffs here have an extremely good chance of convincing a lazy judge and lazy jury that their line of bullshit means that Apple is responsible for their client's laziness.

Maybe, it's not just laziness... Probably a hefty dose of stupidity too.

I'm kind of confused here --

Is the author of the article suggesting that Apple and Google should discriminate against any/all app developers based on their country of origin, or are they suggesting that Apple and Google should do a deep dive background check of every single app developer that submits to their App Store, or are they suggesting that anytime some "random" researcher (or reporter) reports to them, without any real proof, that some app "might" be violating developers guidelines they immediately pull the app and sanction the developer?

Further evidence that the United States Constitution is no longer relevant, nor the guiding document of the law in the Untied States of America.  Watch out Amazon, Google, Target, Walmart, and every other business owner in America, they'll be coming for you in the future...

fred1 said:

The reasons given that prevent iPhones from being made in the US - “there is not the required skilled labor, there is not a supply of the rare minerals needed, and there are no facilities.” - can be dealt with, but would take years to implement. It’s not impossible, but the overnight change the Orange Man wants can’t happen.  Does he really not understand this? 

No, it really is impossible.  Building products like an iPhone or iPad in the United States requires changes in many parts of American society that are not under Apple's control.  Just the ones you mentioned: Skilled labor requires, at a minimum, changes to the educational system not to mention the motivations of American workers, rare minerals , at a minimum, equire changes to regulations and the government's approach to mining operations, the lack of facilities requires, at a minimum, additional changes to regulations, changes to the motivations of other companies, and on and on.

For Apple to move manufacturing to the United States requires a stable economy and significant action by other people, other companies, state and local governments, and the United States Federal Government.  In short, for Apple to move manufacturing to the Unties States requires a competent Federal Administrative Branch of the United  States, run by a competent individual who makes intelligent decisions based on facts.

So long as we have the current moron in chief with his gaggle of sycophants and fools and a country apparently populated by a significant number of people that thinks said moron, sycophants, and fools are doing a good job, it is literally impossible for Apple to move manufacturing to the United States.

Stop trying to argue otherwise -- it's just normalizing the behavior of the idiots.

daven said:

I’m ok with a 25% tariff…. Just make it 100% deductible on Apple’s income tax on a a 1:1 basis.

No it won't be tax deductible by Apple, because Apple won't be paying the Tariff.  You or anyone else who buys an iPhone will pay the Tariff.  

People need to stop thinking this way.  It is not the other countries or the companies importing the products that pay the tariffs.  It is the American Consumer that pays the tariff.