With growing regularity people are expressing their dislike of Apple’s implementation of equipment and policies. It’s the “Apple backlash” as noted in a recent story at TechCrunch.
I’m astonished that anyone thinks Apple has become more “open” and that their overbearing control tactics are new.
Then
Apple is not operating any differently today than decades ago. Price premiums are nothing new: the original Mac cost $2,495. Peripheral expansion used proprietary or specialty ports like ADB, AppleTalk, and the DB-15 video port (pic | more). Mac OS updates (say from 7 to 8.0) forced developers to upgrade their code – backward compatibility was never a concern of Apple’s.
Despite this, Macintosh owners endured the expense and inconvenience of a computer system that was vastly different than the IBM, Atari, Amiga, or Commodore of the day.
Now: Same Ol’ Apple
Fast forward to the 21st century. Disgruntled Windows users are moving to the Macintosh platform and as that demographic grows, so does Apple’s market share. Apple continues to innovate or redefine existing markets like the portable music player and the mobile phone. Although Microsoft and countless others were “in the game” long before, it took Apple’s vision to break out of the mediocrity.
These Switchers are unconsciously a victim to what has made the Macintosh platform successful: Apple’s tight control.
Also consider that Switchers have swallowed (for years) the “backward compatibility” and “have it your way” pill from Microsoft. Suddenly they discover it ain’t so on the Mac. They complain about being locked into hardware and software, almost demanding that Apple bend to their wishes or that Apple will somehow “pay the price.”
Apple didn’t care then and they don’t care now. I heard the same complaints in the 80s.
iPhone App Store Complaints
Apple’s subjective review process needs improvement but this is new territory for them – dare I say – the mobile market as a whole.
Let them work out the kinks and learn from their mistakes.
iTunes and iPhone
A new complaint is iTunes not allowing certain iPhone firmware downgrades. It’s probably a conspiracy to stop the jailbreaking but Apple is entitled to do so according to the iPhone license agreement. It’s also their way of ensuring (at least in theory) a consistent user experience. Nothing new here.
iTunes and AAC
Apple should have made MP3 the default ripping codec in iTunes but using AAC is no worse than Windows Media Player defaulting to WMA and turning on the copy-protection flag. You can imagine my surprise (years ago) when I ripped dozens of compact discs in Windows Media Player and couldn’t play the files when I reinstalled Windows.
iTunes Music Store
No one likes Digital Rights Management but after a few years Apple abandoned DRM completely. Previous DRM-enabled purchases still worked and could be upgraded to DRM-free for a reasonable fee.
In contrast, Microsoft and other companies have launched and closed online music stores: MSN Music. Yahoo Music, and Wal-Mart just to name a few. These closures left customers scrambling to burn CDs or lose their purchases entirely.
Closing Thoughts
The current “Apple backlash” demonstrates nothing more than a fundamental misunderstanding of Apple’s way of doing business. Possibly excusable for a consumer but not for the Internet media or a tech expert.
Everyone will smile and roll their eyes when Microsoft continues their history of blunders but Apple is being held to expectations that are based on hopeful fabrications instead of historical precedence.
The reality is a past where it was “Apple’s way or the highway” which continues today and will do so in the future.
Why? Because it worked.
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