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Comment by Zelphyr | Hacker News Reader

Can you specify where you think they're chasing their competitors? I ask because it seems to me that's how they've always operated.

There were other computers before the Mac, MP3 players before the iPod, cell phones before the iPhone, tablets before the iPad. They're known for moving into a market segment with their own take on the product.

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I agree with this. The main aspect in which they've lost their way in my mind is that their product design choices are intended to appeal to customers only as means to profit, rather than choices that earn profit as a side effect of delighting customers. For example, they've developed this incessant habit of trying to remove basic and often loved features in order to save a buck (ports, headphone jacks, mag-safe cables, glare-free screens, escape keys and other buttons, etc).

> For example, they've developed this incessant habit of trying to remove basic and often loved features in order to save a buck (ports, headphone jacks, mag-safe cables, glare-free screens, escape keys and other buttons, etc).

Half of those are wrong - they reversed the Ives decisions about ports, MagSafe, and the escape key, etc. — and it’s unclear that your personal preferences are as widely shared as you’re claiming. All phone manufacturers have been removing headphone jacks, for example, since it makes them more reliable and the models with headphone jacks didn’t start selling better. I haven’t seen any data supporting that as a major disappointment for customers.

I'm aware that they reversed those decisions, which I see as proof that broad customer dissatisfaction with those choices forced them to walk back those cash grabs. I recognize that these events could be interpreted differently, but that's my read of the situation, and it's certainly my experience as a long time customer.

I could write a manifesto on my hatred of the move from headphone jacks to bluetooth across all device categories. I admit that I'm an outlier here, but regardless I just might have to make time to write up my thoughts on this travesty.

More specifically, their products are designed as showcases to appeal to future Apple customers more so than current ones. They want their products to look good more than work well, if there's a choice to be made. The formula certainly works for increasing sales and adoption. Apple fans are willing product demonstrators, the original influencers.

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