<story><title>Apple Is Listening</title><url>https://marco.org/2019/06/09/apple-is-listening</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>linguae</author><text>I’m glad that Apple is finally updating their Macs again, but at the same time Apple has doubled-down on its refusal to sell user-serviceable, upgradeable, and expandable hardware at prices that are within reach for most customers.  The laptops have soldered RAM and soldered storage.  The Mac Mini and iMac Pro thankfully have DIMMs, but in order to keep the warranty, you have to visit an Apple-approved repair center to have a specialist perform the upgrade, which costs more than doing it yourself. After over two years of waiting, the Mac Pro announcement was a huge letdown since the cost of the only user-serviceable Mac has doubled from $2999 to $5999, alienating Mac Pro users who can afford a $2999 computer but not a $5999 one.&lt;p&gt;It’s one thing for me to buy a “disposable computer” when it is priced very low.  It’s another thing for me when you can’t upgrade or service computers with premium-priced parts in them.  This is a trend I don’t support.&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately the only way to protest Apple’s business decisions is to leave the Mac, which means giving up macOS, which I find a more productive environment for me than Windows or any of the Linux desktops like KDE and GNOME.  I started using macOS back when Macs were user-serviceable, upgradeable, and reasonably affordable.  I continue using the Mac for macOS, but I’m finding myself alienated by Apple&amp;#x27;s business decisions.&lt;p&gt;I wish the situation for personal computer operating systems were better.  I want PC hardware with an operating system that has the same power, attention to detail, usability, and reliability that macOS has.  At this point I am willing to spend my spare time on such a project.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>Angostura</author><text>Actually, I&amp;#x27;m in the middle of writing an e-mail to the Tim address at Apple, saying that if it takes the environment seriously (and I commend them on what they have done so far) they really need to take the next step, be truly &amp;#x27;courageous&amp;#x27; and prioritise repairability and expandability in their forthcoming products.&lt;p&gt;Apple in the last 20 pushed the boundaries in terms of sleek and slim, but I argue those are &lt;i&gt;last&lt;/i&gt; century&amp;#x27;s imperatives. Apple has the clout and profile, that if it took a stand and said &amp;#x27;we are going to make our products a few milimeters thicker, we are going to make them so that they can be upgraded, we realise that this will hit sales and profits, but this is the planet we are talking about&amp;#x27;, they could probably pull other members of the industry behind them&amp;#x27;. Conspicuous non consumption might be the new fashion statement.</text></comment>
<story><title>Apple Is Listening</title><url>https://marco.org/2019/06/09/apple-is-listening</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>linguae</author><text>I’m glad that Apple is finally updating their Macs again, but at the same time Apple has doubled-down on its refusal to sell user-serviceable, upgradeable, and expandable hardware at prices that are within reach for most customers.  The laptops have soldered RAM and soldered storage.  The Mac Mini and iMac Pro thankfully have DIMMs, but in order to keep the warranty, you have to visit an Apple-approved repair center to have a specialist perform the upgrade, which costs more than doing it yourself. After over two years of waiting, the Mac Pro announcement was a huge letdown since the cost of the only user-serviceable Mac has doubled from $2999 to $5999, alienating Mac Pro users who can afford a $2999 computer but not a $5999 one.&lt;p&gt;It’s one thing for me to buy a “disposable computer” when it is priced very low.  It’s another thing for me when you can’t upgrade or service computers with premium-priced parts in them.  This is a trend I don’t support.&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately the only way to protest Apple’s business decisions is to leave the Mac, which means giving up macOS, which I find a more productive environment for me than Windows or any of the Linux desktops like KDE and GNOME.  I started using macOS back when Macs were user-serviceable, upgradeable, and reasonably affordable.  I continue using the Mac for macOS, but I’m finding myself alienated by Apple&amp;#x27;s business decisions.&lt;p&gt;I wish the situation for personal computer operating systems were better.  I want PC hardware with an operating system that has the same power, attention to detail, usability, and reliability that macOS has.  At this point I am willing to spend my spare time on such a project.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>newscracker</author><text>I feel the same way. Macs have become more expensive and less friendly for upgrading RAM and storage, the two most important things that need to be user upgradeable for longevity and reducing e-waste (I don’t care much about CPU&amp;#x2F;GPU upgrades).&lt;p&gt;Even the new Mac mini is quite expensive compared to its predecessors. Mac mini used to be the cheap and beginner level entry into Macs&amp;#x2F;macOS. The current hardware may be worth the price, but Apple has clearly missed making something that’s a lot more affordable (with cheaper parts, fewer ports, etc.).</text></comment>