Also, statistically, it's likely that in any given year, there will be some place in the world that is anomalous. You can't just pick and choose certain areas, going to a different spot each year, as evidence of a problem, you need to look at things globally.
> In Oceania at the present day, Science, in the old sense, has almost ceased to exist. In Newspeak there is no word for 'Science'. The empirical method of thought, on which all the scientific achievements of the past were founded, is opposed to the most fundamental principles of Ingsoc. And even technological progress only happens when its products can in some way be used for the diminution of human liberty. (2.9.30).
> The Party employs science and technology to curtail human freedom and privacy, and to control human behavior.
Pretty sure airpods have been one of Apple's most successful and top reviewed product. Sure their was negative press before they were released, but everything I see now states how good they are and everyone one I talk to loves them.
Mainstreaming desktop (and laptop) UNIX was a kind of amazing achievement (and a sort of strange side-effect of Jobs returning to Apple with NeXT in tow.)
Though original Mac, LaserWriter, and iPad are also big on my list.
What are you crediting Jobs with? What does this mean? It seems like your list fell apart after the first 3 concrete things you listed, the rest are just random things you like about Apple.
Jobs founded NeXT, which created a desktop UNIX OS based on mach/BSD. Most importantly, NeXTSTEP had a nice GUI framework built on Objective-C. When Jobs returned, NeXT merged with Apple, and Apple gained ownership of NeXTSTEP/OpenStep, evolving it into Rhapsody and OS X.
Of course the programming and design were done by the software teams under Avie Tevanian, first at NeXT and later at Apple.
Anything except first two is not that impressive...
And iPhone is built on top of years of speculation and foundational change in material and wireless infrastructure.
But the point is that apple now no longer needs to grow like jobs era. And for all good will, I see no chance for jobs to pull out new things equally big as iPhone anyway. But some can believe that regardless.
nobody wants those. AirPods are expensive, ugly earbuds that you have to recharge for some reason, and the watch is just a way for your phone to distract you more frequently.
Nobody? I see AirPods everywhere. I’m not aware of the actual sales numbers but I’m sure that they’re among the best selling >100$ headphones. I think that you are underestimating the popularity and appeal of wireless headphones. I like my wired seinheiser pair at the office but while commuting, running or walking wireless is nice.
I'm also part of the nobody group, never buy the latest because I am frugal with my earnings. But I've noticed lots and lots of people with AirPods, latest Iphones, etc. I think you're underestimating the status value that Apple has managed to create for themselves. A large number of people view Apple as a status symbol.
I have a hard time thinking of a "bad" Apple product. Not "product I don't personally like" or "product that fails to meet a requirement I believe is important", but legitimately "bad".
The Butterly keyboard is the only thing I can think is genuinely, objectively, "bad", due to the reliability issues, but it's hard to say it taints the whole MacBook Pro. I use one everyday, have since they were released, and it's a great laptop for me.
Either way, I'm mostly commenting on the ever-popular and lazy comment that equates Apple's success solely to marketing. Apple's products are successful because they're good products, marketed well. Yes, they're marketed well, but that marketing is only effective because the products being marketed are genuinely "good".
Some are good. I’m not an Apple hater. I have an older (good model) MacBook Pro, an iPad mini 2, an iPhone SE, and an iPad. (All with connectors such as headphone jacks)
It’s some of the newer models that strip off functionality for aesthetics , or at least slimness at any and all costs, that turn many of us away.
AirPods sound like a PITA to me. Oops,time to charge them again- no wait, I just dropped one and it bounced into the gutter/ drain. I should I charge the one I can still find, or throw it away, too?
No thanks.
Regular corded earbuds are a tolerable pocket size alternative to a set of studio cans, but that’s as far as I would go. I miss the old Walkman style headsets that had decent size drivers, but still fit into a backpack or jacket pocket.
For most people it goes something like: Take off the earbuds and never worry about charging them because the case they go in does it for you and continue on your day without thinking about it or being concerned about imaginary scenarios where one of your random products fell down a gutter/drain in the middle of the office because who has the time or energy to worry about storm drains stealing from you?
So, I just imagined one side of my earbuds falling out of my ear and dangling from the wire while I’m walking around the neighborhood at home sometimes? (Which I do frequently- walking or jogging around outside)
