Are any of you beginning to hate Apple, for whatever reason?

[skaertus]

No hatred, just some reservations.

It's easy to love the underdog. There was much more sympathy for Apple back then.

But I have to agree that Apple is taking a path that is difficult to swallow sometimes.

Apple sometimes puts current products in the back seat to give some space to brand new things. The problem is not to develop new products, but to neglect old ones.

Now, Apple is launching the Apple Watch, and I don't see a point here. And prices are being discussed... and this thing is set to be expensive. Gold? I don't see the point. I don't like this luxury and tech mix, it feels snob. And I don't want to buy an expensive piece just for it to get obsolete in one or two years.

As for Apple Car, it looks like a bad joke.

Apple should focus on making tech products. In my opinion, it shouldn't focus on beauty, craftmanship, comfort, or anything else, of objects that are not related to technology, or that are just barely related to it. Of course a watch can have tech on it, but it is still a watch. Ditto for a car. Apple is losing focus and I don't see it with sympathy.

These may be the times when Apple goes down and Microsoft rises again.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

It's easy to love the underdog. There was much more sympathy for Apple back then.

But I have to agree that Apple is taking a path that is difficult to swallow sometimes.

Apple sometimes puts current products in the back seat to give some space to brand new things. The problem is not to develop new products, but to neglect old ones.

Now, Apple is launching the Apple Watch, and I don't see a point here. And prices are being discussed... and this thing is set to be expensive. Gold? I don't see the point. I don't like this luxury and tech mix, it feels snob. And I don't want to buy an expensive piece just for it to get obsolete in one or two years.

As for Apple Car, it looks like a bad joke.

Apple should focus on making tech products. In my opinion, it shouldn't focus on beauty, craftmanship, comfort, or anything else, of objects that are not related to technology, or that are just barely related to it. Of course a watch can have tech on it, but it is still a watch. Ditto for a car. Apple is losing focus and I don't see it with sympathy.

These may be the times when Apple goes down and Microsoft rises again.

Interesting thoughts. I must say I agree with most of them, if not with all, except the Microsoft part.

I think the Watch "thingy" is about trends (like the "flat design"). It is trendy to produce and to have a smart watch. Is it useful? To my mind at this stage these quasi watches are just toys for geeks. Maybe in some years...

 

[skaertus]

Interesting thoughts. I must say I agree with most of them, if not with all, except the Microsoft part.

I think the Watch "thingy" is about trends (like the "flat design"). It is trendy to produce and to have a smart watch. Is it useful? To my mind at this stage these quasi watches are just toys for geeks. Maybe in some years...

I partially agree.

As for Microsoft, I am glad to see it is really investing in its existing products. It is investing in Windows and Office, which are the "core" products. It is also developing the Surface, which is related to Windows and Office, and is putting a lot of effort on it. Microsoft may not always get things right, but it is trying hard, and one can see that.

As for the watch, I have nothing against developing a smartwatch, apart from thinking it is a waste of time. Not everything you have must be techy, and I already spend more time than needed with my iPhone. What bothers me is that Apple is intending it to be more watch than smart... a piece of jewerly perhaps. Apple is not a luxury brand, it is a tech brand. If it becomes a luxury brand, then I may stop consuming Apple products, since tech is a relationship of cost-benefit in most part. Efficiency is core to technology (get more performance for the lowest price possible) and this is what drives Intel and other companies to improve their chips, making them smaller and smaller. Luxury is the other way round: it is about paying high prices for being exclusive, and that conflicts with tech at some point.

 

[JackieInCo]

Interesting thoughts. I must say I agree with most of them, if not with all, except the Microsoft part.

I think the Watch "thingy" is about trends (like the "flat design"). It is trendy to produce and to have a smart watch. Is it useful? To my mind at this stage these quasi watches are just toys for geeks. Maybe in some years...

I have a Samsung Gear S watch that I bought a week ago. Why? I bought it because I have a hard time knowing when someone sends me a text message while I am at my job. I don't care about missing texts form friends while I am at work but texts from other people while I am at work are important and i can't miss those.

The watch lights up on my wrist now when a text comes in from my phone and it also vibrates. Hard to miss that now. It's doing exactly what I intended it to do when I bought it. I can even leave my phone at home and still get calls and texts from my phone on my watch. Samsung did a great job with that.

I have no plans to buy the Apple watch and I do agree with others that Apple is making the thing to be more fashion than anything else. I want a watch that has a purpose and my Gear S does exactly that. It does have a side effect: When people see it, they ask what it is and how it works.

I did get a iPhone 6+ delivered Saturday. I sat back after setting it up and realized it's really just the same exact phone as the 5, 5S and the 4S. Really what's different besides the screen size and maybe a faster chip and Apple Pay? Yes the iPhone has the NFC chip built in but they also lock it down so it's only useful for Apple Pay.

I have a Note 4 that I bought a month ago that can do so many things so easily. On the iPhone when I wanted to capture something on the screen, I had to do a screen cap and then crop that image and send it to someone.

On my Note 4, I pull out the pen, tap smart select on the popup and then draw a square or rectangle around the part of the screen that I want and then select share at the top of the screen. I can email it or save that section instantly. That is progress and doing something unique and useful.

Next iPhone will feature more RAM as it's biggest improvement.

That's my rant for today. And I'm still keeping the iPhone.

 

[I7guy]

It's easy to love the underdog. There was much more sympathy for Apple back then.

But I have to agree that Apple is taking a path that is difficult to swallow sometimes.

Apple sometimes puts current products in the back seat to give some space to brand new things. The problem is not to develop new products, but to neglect old ones.

Now, Apple is launching the Apple Watch, and I don't see a point here. And prices are being discussed... and this thing is set to be expensive. Gold? I don't see the point. I don't like this luxury and tech mix, it feels snob. And I don't want to buy an expensive piece just for it to get obsolete in one or two years.

As for Apple Car, it looks like a bad joke.

Apple should focus on making tech products. In my opinion, it shouldn't focus on beauty, craftmanship, comfort, or anything else, of objects that are not related to technology, or that are just barely related to it. Of course a watch can have tech on it, but it is still a watch. Ditto for a car. Apple is losing focus and I don't see it with sympathy.

These may be the times when Apple goes down and Microsoft rises again.

Isn't the Apple car a tech product?

You may think Apple may be losing focus but their financials indicate otherwise.

 

[wbeasley]

Writing "taxes" a Mini? Really?

Maybe you should write less and read more..........

If you're mostly writing all day, I would have thought a Mac Mini with anti-glare external monitor would have been perfect.

I hate people who whinge about technology. Go buy a PC if you're that unhappy. They are better than they used to be. And you can even get a matt screen in some low end models - but then people would whinge they weren't the top model and how dare that top model cost so much!

Really, you can't win an argument with some people!

As someone who bought a $5000 Sony laptop years ago, it was a workhorse that made my business life so much better for the 3 years I had it. Probably has less power than my phone does today. But was it good value? Definitely!

Catering to a small group of perfectionists never makes good business sense. Sorry. I'd love Apple to update the iPod to a bigger screen, more memory and faster. But it didn't happen this year. May never. When an iconic product no longer generates income, they would be wasting their limited time to focus on it. And that's for something that gave many people an entry point into Apple-land but now accounts for roughly 1% of income. The iPhone is the new entry point. And it makes a ********* of profit that others can't seem to get right to be competitors.

Will the Watch be the same? It will certainly shake things up. Suppose you want a matt screen for it too? LOL. Fine grain sand paper or steel wool might do the job... unless they really got a sapphire screen this time around

----------

I have a Samsung Gear S watch that I bought a week ago. Why? I bought it because I have a hard time knowing when someone sends me a text message while I am at my job. I don't care about missing texts form friends while I am at work but texts from other people while I am at work are important and i can't miss those.

The watch lights up on my wrist now when a text comes in from my phone and it also vibrates. Hard to miss that now. It's doing exactly what I intended it to do when I bought it. I can even leave my phone at home and still get calls and texts from my phone on my watch. Samsung did a great job with that.

I have no plans to buy the Apple watch and I do agree with others that Apple is making the thing to be more fashion than anything else. I want a watch that has a purpose and my Gear S does exactly that. It does have a side effect: When people see it, they ask what it is and how it works.

I did get a iPhone 6+ delivered Saturday. I sat back after setting it up and realized it's really just the same exact phone as the 5, 5S and the 4S. Really what's different besides the screen size and maybe a faster chip and Apple Pay? Yes the iPhone has the NFC chip built in but they also lock it down so it's only useful for Apple Pay.

I have a Note 4 that I bought a month ago that can do so many things so easily. On the iPhone when I wanted to capture something on the screen, I had to do a screen cap and then crop that image and send it to someone.

On my Note 4, I pull out the pen, tap smart select on the popup and then draw a square or rectangle around the part of the screen that I want and then select share at the top of the screen. I can email it or save that section instantly. That is progress and doing something unique and useful.

Next iPhone will feature more RAM as it's biggest improvement.

That's my rant for today. And I'm still keeping the iPhone.

Not sure how many people buy a Note 4 last month and an iPhone this month... Perhaps you need to just give one phone number to friends and the other to work people and then you'll only get texts from the right people at the right time! Wow, an non-tech solution to a tech issue. LOL.

----------

I hate Yosemite. Does that count?

No.

 

[Music_Producer]

I hate Apple because I bought a thousand stocks of AAPL at $6, and sold them all when it hit $8

 

[inkswamp]

I've always had a love-hate relationship with Apple, much like I've had with most other tech companies. Fortunately, the love part tends to outweigh the hate part with Apple. Not so much with other companies.

I will say that my experience upgrading a Mac Mini to Yosemite has been really disappointing and a major headache. The upgrade brought my Mac Mini to its knees and made it almost unusable. It was only with the last released update, that the machine no longer ran like a slug, but it's still far from perfect and not exactly as responsive and stable as Mavericks was on the same machine.

But that's nothing new. It happens. Leopard was a far worse upgrade, and took several revisions before it was not longer annoying the @#$%& out of me on a daily basis. All the upgrades to OS X between Leopard and Yosemite have been a dream.

So what's the point of hating them? Sometimes, Apple knocks it out of the park. Sometimes, they just break your car's windshield. Fortunately, they tend to do more of the former than the latter.

----------

As for Apple Car, it looks like a bad joke.

I love when people form hard opinions about unreleased products they haven't even seen in person, much less actually used.

Apple has a long history of toying with product ideas and experimenting. The Apple Car may only be in its infancy. Or maybe it's not even a car. If you go back to MacRumors' forums circa 2005, you'll see people decrying the rumors about Apple entering the lame cell phone market. Further back, people decrying rumors that Apple was going to enter the mp3 player market.

Keep an open mind and don't be so quick to judge. Apple has a history of surprising people with new products by going in directions nobody expected. If an Apple Car ever does see the light of day, I guarantee you, it won't be anything you expect.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

Just the other day with some Members I was accused of "fanboyism". That was sarcastic.
Though, I have always admired Apple. It was original, unique, somehow special. It had an aura with an ability to attract you. Never owned one. Just looked, played with the Apple computers in the shops. In those times I needed Windows. But I was attracted, no doubt.
One day, some years ago, my Motorola gave up. I was mad as usually this happens when you need the tool badly. I contacted an online shop and asked what phone could they bring me in less than an hour. It was an iPhone 3G. And it was a different world. It became my favorite phone. Still is, though it rests in the drawer.
Years passed and my PC-usage changed. At the same time I got tired of Windows, reparing all the computers in house on regular basis. I went for an Apple computer. It was a feeling like with my iPhone 3G. It is another world. A better world for me. And I could and can compare with decades of different experience behind my back.
So, no hate and of course no "fanboyism". Just an objective approach.

 

[Centaurr]

big apple fan boy here but there are some things i dont use from apple. i dont use their mouse, iphones or keyboards, to me apple is good for Desktops and iPods only. im not into tablets either. i would use apple smart watches thou but then again you can use it without the iphone. they have great customer service as well, to answer your question, i dont hate apple actually the opposite.

 

[skaertus]

I love when people form hard opinions about unreleased products they haven't even seen in person, much less actually used.

Apple has a long history of toying with product ideas and experimenting. The Apple Car may only be in its infancy. Or maybe it's not even a car. If you go back to MacRumors' forums circa 2005, you'll see people decrying the rumors about Apple entering the lame cell phone market. Further back, people decrying rumors that Apple was going to enter the mp3 player market.

Keep an open mind and don't be so quick to judge. Apple has a history of surprising people with new products by going in directions nobody expected. If an Apple Car ever does see the light of day, I guarantee you, it won't be anything you expect.

What I said is that it looks like a joke. I said nothing about the finished product.

Apple may well produce a great car. But Apple is taking very bold steps, one have to agree.

Apple has historically made personal computers, an industry in which it is comfortable with, and in which it has been since nearly its beginning.

Apple also released the iPod, an MP3 player, which was a brand new category of products; even if you consider portable music players, it's not an old industry.

Then Apple released the iPhone, a cell phone, which is something quite new either. Then the iPad, a tablet, a category not well developed so far by anyone.

Now, Apple is entering into territory in which it has no domain of and which has been historically dominated by companies with decades or centuries of tradition and know-how. And this is more dangerous.

Watches. Cars. It's just not the same. Apple may produce the best personal computer in the world, and the best cell phone in the world, and the best tablet in the world. This is one thing. But even if Apple is successful in the watch and car industries, will it be able to set standards and make a revolution? Won't that weaken the brand?

 

[Ulenspiegel]

...But even if Apple is successful in the watch and car industries, will it be able to set standards and make a revolution? Won't that weaken the brand?

Good questions. I wish I knew the answers.
Watches and Cars are tricky territories.

 

[maflynn]

Isn't the Apple car a tech product?

In one sense yes, and in another sense its a 100 year old industry with low margins, low growth potential, high amounts of regulations, and a requirement for a significant supply channel.

 

[rctlr]

I agree that hate is a strong word.

There are some disappointing updates to Apples software (namely Garageband for me, hence keeping the old one from my previous mac), but nothing that cannot be worked around.

I have no problems with the hardware - I've bought the systems with the specs I require, and have never, in the past 5 years, needed to pry them open to get something working (like I did for HP Desktops and Windows). Im glad of the fact that I'm not in that "Space" anymore - being an admin for family or friends when they have computer problems.

 

[I7guy]

In one sense yes, and in another sense its a 100 year old industry with low margins, low growth potential, high amounts of regulations, and a requirement for a significant supply channel.

Yes, the regulations are more true if they would be incorporating an internal combustion engine. But less true with an all electric vehicle. Still correct though about regulations, although cell phones are not without regulation either.

But I'm guessing they are going after teslas's customers, where margins may matter less.

 

[Agent-J]

Now, Apple is entering into territory in which it has no domain of and which has been historically dominated by companies with decades or centuries of tradition and know-how. And this is more dangerous.

The word of the day is "hubris." When the fall comes, it will be a really painful impact.

 

[yep-sure]

I don't hate Apple, but am certainly disappointed with their direction in recent years.

I switched to Mac from Windows in 2011. Before that, I owned an iPod Mini and iPhone 3G and 4.

I feel I on jumped on Apple a little late and caught the end of their "golden age". OSX and iOS devices were still a pleasure to use. Both were efficient, effective, and effortless to operate - and they looked fantastic. I had an iMac, an iPhone and an iPad.

Since then, I think Apple have really dropped the ball in terms of quality and usability, and have placed more importance on things that consumers don't necessarily care about.

2 years ago, everyone loved iOS, consumer demand was for bigger screens. We got iOS7 - a complete redesign that completely divided iOS fans/users. We wanted higher spec'd Macs and lower prices. We got thinner Macs with non-upgradable internals.

1 year ago, we wanted the performance and usability of iOS6 and earlier, we wanted better battery life. Yes, we got bigger screens, but we got a thinner, more fragile device with a protruding camera and ApplePay. We wanted new OSX features, and better memory handling, we got Yosemite - the most unstable version of OSX that I've used.

Gone are the days of things just working. iOS 7/8 and Yosemite are horrible, they run slow, are full of bugs and have lost that Apple character - not only do they look rubbish, they are not easy to use, even without the bugs. The intuitive design (at least in iOS) is gone.

Other products have been completely neglected, despite their potential. The AppleTV in particular is extremely frustrating to use.

Instead of refining their products and bringing them back to to the level of quality that brought them success 4-5 years ago, they bloat their products with "features" no one wants, ignore the pain points raised by their customers, and try to align their products with their competitors in terms of design language and number of features. Instead of trying to break new ground and make innovations with their existing products, they spread their design and development teams across products like Apple Watch and electric cars - all to ensure they don't lose potential market share to their competitors.

It's a real shame, I hope that within the next couple of years, the public backlash that is starting to become and issue, becomes quite vocal and Apple make some serious changes to how they operate. We don't need yearly iPad and OSX refreshes. Don't bog down your OS to force upgrades. Spend 2 years getting it right the first time. Give us a decent Music app. Give us an operating system without WiFi issues. Give us iPhones with a decent amount of RAM and a battery that last a couple of days. I don't care how thin it is. I don't care about watches or electric cars. I just want to be as happy with my Apple products as a I was a few years ago. I want using them to be effortless and enjoyable again.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

I don't hate Apple, but am certainly disappointed with their direction in recent years.

I switched to Mac from Windows in 2011. Before that, I owned an iPod Mini and iPhone 3G and 4.

I feel I on jumped on Apple a little late and caught the end of their "golden age". OSX and iOS devices were still a pleasure to use. Both were efficient, effective, and effortless to operate - and they looked fantastic. I had an iMac, an iPhone and an iPad.

Since then, I think Apple have really dropped the ball in terms of quality and usability, and have placed more importance on things that consumers don't necessarily care about.

2 years ago, everyone loved iOS, consumer demand was for bigger screens. We got iOS7 - a complete redesign that completely divided iOS fans/users. We wanted higher spec'd Macs and lower prices. We got thinner Macs with non-upgradable internals.

1 year ago, we wanted the performance and usability of iOS6 and earlier, we wanted better battery life. Yes, we got bigger screens, but we got a thinner, more fragile device with a protruding camera and ApplePay. We wanted new OSX features, and better memory handling, we got Yosemite - the most unstable version of OSX that I've used.

Gone are the days of things just working. iOS 7/8 and Yosemite are horrible, they run slow, are full of bugs and have lost that Apple character - not only do they look rubbish, they are not easy to use, even without the bugs. The intuitive design (at least in iOS) is gone.

Other products have been completely neglected, despite their potential. The AppleTV in particular is extremely frustrating to use.

Instead of refining their products and bringing them back to to the level of quality that brought them success 4-5 years ago, they bloat their products with "features" no one wants, ignore the pain points raised by their customers, and try to align their products with their competitors in terms of design language and number of features. Instead of trying to break new ground and make innovations with their existing products, they spread their design and development teams across products like Apple Watch and electric cars - all to ensure they don't lose potential market share to their competitors.

It's a real shame, I hope that within the next couple of years, the public backlash that is starting to become and issue, becomes quite vocal and Apple make some serious changes to how they operate. We don't need yearly iPad and OSX refreshes. Don't bog down your OS to force upgrades. Spend 2 years getting it right the first time. Give us a decent Music app. Give us an operating system without WiFi issues. Give us iPhones with a decent amount of RAM and a battery that last a couple of days. I don't care how thin it is. I don't care about watches or electric cars. I just want to be as happy with my Apple products as a I was a few years ago. I want using them to be effortless and enjoyable again.

I enjoyed reading your post. Thank you for sharing your thoughts which by the way I share.

 

[TRDmanAE86]

Personally, I am starting to hate apple. It has changed a lot from when I recieved my first iPod Touch 3rd Generation in 2009. Reliability has gone downhill. Devices bend easier, software is less reliable and, the Jony Ives Material design enrages me.

Next, there is the automatic download updates that take up space. They try to coax me into buying a new phone by slowing it down and, randomly turning off features. In their genius plan, features are stripped (like facetime for iOS 6 devices [Excluding the iPod Touch 4th Generation]) {which will probably be decommissioned this year too}


On top of that, there are little things like iTunes. That program frustrates me so much even though I know what I am doing. Every time I plug in my iPod or my iPhone, tons of warning bells go off and, now it is to the point where, I cannot even back both of them up!

I am planning on buying a Android phone as my successor to my iOS 6 4S. I'll keep it as a memento of the good times I had with apple . Ever since Job has died, the company has been ruined.

 

[Motawa]

life is too short

 

[smoledman]

What's the point in hating? I simply dislike iOS as it's dumbed-down for geeks like me. So I use Android. Yet I get ridiculed for this choice.

 

[iFitzgerald]

I've read people comment on the reliability and quality of OSX and I have to agree. I started on Mac with OSX Leopard and I loved that thing. It was light, super fast and did everything I needed. Then Snow Leopard came and the performance was just amazing. I loved it. Best OSX version I've used.

Lion was awful for me, Mountain Lion a bit better and Mavericks is the best of these three for me, but Yosemite...God...I really regret putting it on my MBP. So much that I'm glad my iMac still has Mavericks and I won't install Yosemite on it. I always do clean installs, but even with a clean install, Yosemite simply has poor performance and too much glitches, bugs and hangups for my patience. I haven't downgraded yet, because I use my MBP for work almost everyday and I haven't had a Saturday/Sunday with enough patience to reinstall everything again.

As for iOS, I was prudent enough to wait for those brave souls that updated their iPhone 4S' to iOS8. I like my iPhone 4S and it does everything I need from it with decent performance, but it only has 8Gb and I won't sacrifice the already small space it has for an "upgrade" that cripples the phone.

As I've mentioned on a post before, unless Apple changes something, I don't think I will be staying with the brand much longer. Windows 10 is looking pretty decent, even for a Technical Preview and I think there are a few pretty decent Android options for smartphones...

 

[TRDmanAE86]

Windows 10 is looking pretty decent, even for a Technical Preview...

Same Windows 10 really impresses me. i am bewildered by the concept of "personilization" [cough cough Apple please take notice]:rolleyes :. It has been set up to resemble the features of both Metro and the Classic Microsoft design! This is what Windows 8 should have looked like and, I am extremely tempted to update from Windows 7! (Probably will not and will just save Win 10 for my next computer)

Windows 8 users will no longer have to live in vain (and jump through hoops to downgrade) cause Windows 10 will be one of best Windows operating systems ever (besides the Legendary Windows XP)

 

[Monique1]

Same Windows 10 really impresses me.

Well, I've only seen demos but it's certainly a step in the right direction.

Ironically, I'm in the midst of escaping Apple's walled garden even as I write this. Love Apple's build quality and designs but I just can't afford them anymore. (Well I can, but I chose not to).

I currently have a MBP13, iPad Air and iPhone 5S - all about to be gifted or put on ebay. Great on their own merits but I have a problem managing two different "app" systems and basically needing 3 devices because of that. iOS/iPad can get me by for about 70% of what I need but I'll always need something with a bit more muscle for the other 30%. That's what my MBP does but it's too wieldy to lug around all the time.

Now I'm down to a 10" Windows tablet that simply plops into a dock when I'm at home with a 24" monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers and replaces the ipad when I'm on the go.

I also just recently escaped Verizon "hell" with their pricey plans, 2 year contracts, iPhone extortion options and cryptic monthly taxes. (Try having 5 phones with these people). Just using a cheap Lumia phone now (which I own) and a $35 no hidden fees, Cricket Wireless plan. (It works so well and is so cheap I feel like I'm doing something illegal).

But yeah... there's that "Windows" thing. 8.1 kind of sucks and my tablet and phone deosn't exactly communicate as well as iOS does with OSX. But I've seen a lot of what Windows 10 plans to offer ant there's still hope. In the meantime, I've got one less device to deal with.

So, in keeping with the gist of this thread... I don't hate Apple. I believe they're trying really hard but I do think that Steve Job's arrogant philosophy and tradition of not finding out what consumers really want is going to bite them really hard one day.

 

[rhett7660]

Do I hate, nope not at all. If they don't offer a product that I find appealing or need to have I don't buy. I like Apple products don't get me wrong, but if they don't have what I am looking for or if they have a product that doesn't meet my needs I look somewhere else.