empty banner ad

Is Apple turning evil?

Magnus Nystedt | Feb 04, 2010 | Comments View Comments

That’s what Tom Gara asks in The National today – is Apple turning evil? He begins “As Apple launched its new iPad to great global fanfare, some of the company’s long-term fans made a less rapturous realisation. What if Apple were turning evil?”

Tom says that “the Apple we see today is withering” and is turning into a sort of Microsoft-like evil empire because of two iPad aspects: the small SIM card and that there still is no Flash support on iPad (iPhone OS 3.2).

His assertion is that because Apple put the small type of SIM card (micro SIM) they give mobile operators across the world free reigns to tie iPad services to the new format. Since these smaller SIM cards are today not readily available from operators, like our own du and Etisalat in UAE, they can be more restrictive with offers, plans, etc. The current solution, the regular-sized SIM card, has absolutely no problems with it and there’s no reason for Apple to require the small SIM card, other than to please operators.

On the issue of Flash, Tom says about that Apple’s decision about not allowing Flash on the iPad, is all about protecting Apple’s revenue model. There’s some 10 years of Flash content on the web that Apple, by continuing to insist on not supporting Flash, Tom says. The arguments that Flash may be crashing Safari and that it’s too resource intensive could all be removed if there was an option to turn Flash on and off in iPhone OS, he claims.

He presents some great food for thought about some aspects of Apple’s current practices. You should also listen to the podcast out later today when he’s talking about this with Narain Jashanmal and Paul Castle.

So what do you think, are these signs that Apple is turning, or has already turned, evil?

Popularity: 4% [?]

Related posts:

  1. My apple: The necessary evil of advertising
  2. Apple to indicate if economy is turning around?
  3. My first impressions of Apple iPad
  4. Apple iPad will take the iPhone OS to a higher level
  5. The Apple phenomenon

Filed Under: Blog

Tags:

About the Author: I'm the Managing Editor of Shufflegazine and Shufflegazine.com. When there's time I also take care of our Tech Chat podcast, Facebook page, Twitter account and more. You can also listen to me on radio every week. Coming from an extensive career in higher education IT teaching I try to spread word about technology to readers in a way that is approachable and understandable for all.

  • sanjaykeshup
    I would not say evil, but yes it is taking full advantage of the consumers and their loyalty and expectation towards the brand and their product. I am sure if Jobs had his way he would not want to provide half-baked devices, and milk out more and more money with upgrades and 'finer' tuned releases. This seems like the board putting pressure on him to up the stock price ( which Apple has been more than successful in doing). As an Apple enthusiast, I myself am not going to fall for the trap until the device is perfect. I have learnt too well from repeated purchase of the iPod and iPhone that the first version is just a prototype to really set the ground for a second more improved market invasion. Again, I wouldn't say evil. I would just say its becoming more of a giant corporation. I think Apple would need this idea and way of doing business to backlash, which would hopefully shift them back to their roots of innovation. All said and done, the iPad is still a great product especially if you do not own an iPhone. It should be successful in aiding the shift in the way we consume our data.
  • tbreak
    Sadly, yes. Apple is slowly becoming exactly what it was against in 1984. Remember that ad about the girl throwing the hammer against a conformist society? Guess who that conformist society today is- the Apple fan base. Apple is dictating the rules and if you don't follow, then you're breaking the law cowboy.
blog comments powered by Disqus