eightzero

"However, Apple may not consider it enough of an issue to address it with time and labor costs." Really? A multi-trillion dollar company can't afford this? You know...to keep their customer base happy? Seriously, how much "time and labor costs" are we talking about?

chasm said:

I don't think you're wrong about that, Eightzero.

I and other people I happen to know have held off on investing much in "smart home" stuff until Apple unveils a system of its own to control devices from it and other brands ... and so far, a lot of smart home stuff has been HomeKit compatible, setting the stage for that home hub.

I just hope Apple will update the full-size HomePods to have more HomeKit smarts -- that's when I'll replace the OG ones that I use with my Apple TV for my current setup, which offers terrific stereo/Atmos sound.

Sure a 5.1 or 7.1 surround setup would undoubtedly be even better, but my apartment neighbours would probably complain every time I watched a war movie, so ... nope for now.

i have very, very limited use of smart home tech. I have a couple of light switches and one fan to control. Stuff works mostly, but then fails for no reason, and then a reset of about everything at the cost of 30m of random changes fixes it. YMMV, but I really don't need any of it; and I can see that the most attractive part would be in new constitution...if it all worked reliably and flawlessly. Once you put this stuff in though, you are stuck with it. And I just don't need it. Siri just isn't helpful. To me. YMMV, and others are welcome to it.

OTOH, I do need a reliable internet connection. And Apple doesn't make Airports (much less with one with a 5G modem.) Or offer a branded VPN. 

I smell disarray in Cupertino. It is almost like Apple is being forced into these AI thingies because of pundit expectations, not consumer expectations. 

bsimpsen said:

If I understand correctly (and there's little reason to believe I do, this is complex), iPhones will have significantly higher tariffs (54%) than Samsung phones (25%). Throwing the bus keys to Samsung, so they can drive over Apple, doesn't seem very MAGA to me. I expect an adjustment here, either in the tariffs or at the mid-term polls.

Or the first head of state to offer a personal bribe. Then that country gets an exemption because reasons.

skingers said:

For those arguing about how Tariffs work or don't, keep this in mind.  The price of an iPhone will not go up outside of the US.  In fact for countries that do not change the Tariff for countries that make the iPhone there will be no change whatsoever.  So the correct headline would be  "iPhone 17 Pro predicted to cost over $2000 in the U.S. because of Trump tariffs".  I see a lot of people buying iPhones on business trips and holidays in the future.

And not paying the import duty when they...you know...import them? It's called "smuggling." And sure - you are indeed correct - many people will do this. I predict there will be one very high profile report of someone caught doing so. It will feature an interview from a Venezuelan prison.