Because I hold a grudge. A few years back I purchased an IPOD touch. I was very excited about this purchase. I've always been a PC and was opening myself up to the world of Apple. I didn't have a smart phone so I thought this would be a good, less expensive way to get email "on the go." Well, just about 3 or 4 weeks after I bought the IPOD touch, a new version came out, with a camera. I was angry... still am, apparently. Here's why:
First of all, the obvious reason, I was angry because a newer, better version came out right after I made the decision to put down my hard earned money to purchase the darn thing, and not at a discount either. And here's why I'm really mad and why I hold a grudge, because this is company policy. They don't tell you when they're releasing a new version of something. They continue to charge you top dollar up until the next version comes into the store for sale. This would not be so awful if Apple products were built to last, but they're not. They're built for "forced obsolescence" which basically means that very quickly your very expensive device will be worthless because the OS will be upgraded and Apps will no longer work on the device. Apple makes everyone upgrade their OS and their App developers to develop for the current, abandoning the old. All tech companies do this to some degree, but not at the level Apple does. Google, Amazon and Microsoft operating systems will allow for multiple versions in the marketplace and apps will continue to be supported for a time. My worst fear is that the Apple method become the norm and the other guys increase their level of obsolescence.
Second, the less obvious reason, because Apple is not a good steward of the world or our community. They market themselves as the underdog, the "good guy" but really they are more about the bottom line than any other Tech company. They refused to help the government when the recession hit, indicating that they had no responsibility to the government or the country from which they were born. Really? The government has not provided for Apple and it's Corporate existence here? Infrastructure, tax breaks, international bargaining... all done for Apple at the government's (our) expense, and no response when we ask for a little help? Actually they did respond, "NO!" And with their policies on obsolescence and not telling the consumer when a new product will be released, they are burying us in their poison technology gadgets. Some credit to their recycling program (10% off when you turn in your old device and hopefully they are responsibly recycling it). But this recycling effort is minimal at best.
And finally, I just don't like the Operating System. In the end I am a PC.
The IPOD worked for less than a year before the old OS just didn't work with Apps anymore. LESS THAN A YEAR. Not a worthwhile investment and, honestly, I felt/feel duped. So, no, I don't like Apple. Do I wish they were out of business and their products did not exist? No. I understand that there are also people that are MACs, just as I am a PC. I just wish Apple weren't a leader in the industry because it feels a little bit like the lemmings with them in the lead, walking (maybe running) us right off the cliff.
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