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Ask HN: I'm enjoying Apple's ecosystem. Should I be worried?

6 points by behnamoh ↗ HN
I own a few iDevices: MacBook Pro, Apple Watch, iPhone, and iPad. I don't necessarily use Apple's services (e.g., News, Music, Podcast, ...) but I find the tight integration of Apple's devices so enjoyable that I wonder why no other company has even tried to do that. I like the hands-off feature, the fact that Apple's devices are "aware" of each other, so I can put my Watch to sleep mode and it automatically tells that to my MBP, iPhone, and iPad too. I like the buttery smoothness of iOS and macOS, and the fact that Apple's design guidelines has resulted in a somewhat uniform UI experience across third-party apps, so I don't have to re-learn how to use new apps. I can talk a lot about why I'm so sold on Apple's ecosystem, but the cynic geek inside me gets worried sometimes. Is it all a perfectly designed trap? What's the catch? What compelling reasons are there to "break" out of the ecosystem, say, by using an Android Watch along with my iPhone? As someone who's really enjoying the user experience that Apple provides, should I be worried?

8 comments

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derivagral
I'm hoping they don't copy the Windows approach with advertising, but it is in their 10k. Not broken out so a bit harder to tell, but something to watch.

https://investor.apple.com/sec-filings/sec-filings-details/d...

"Services Services net sales increased during 2022 compared to 2021 due primarily to higher net sales from advertising, cloud services and the App Store."

/e amended quote from expenses to income, still from same file

phone_book
Note sure what you mean with copying the Windows approach, but that line is talking about expenses. It says that part of the increase in expenses was due to Apple spending more on advertising their products. I don't think there is a concern with Apple spending more on advertising.
derivagral
I've updated the quote, thanks.

The windows approach is putting in "recommended" rails and other unwanted defaults in places like the windows 10/11 menu that previously did not have such things. I don't believe they do this for free, and it didn't happen in older versions.

gatonegro
Would you be OK to find yourself in this situation[0] in the future? Personally, I feel like putting all your digital eggs in one basket, be it Apple's, Google's, Microsoft's, or anyone else's, is asking for trouble. And the deeper you get into any specific ecosystem, the harder it is to free yourself later if you need or want to for whatever reason.

[0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34067857

runjake
The customer-blaming comments in that thread are revolting, particularly user maflynn. Sadly, they are typical.
orf
> Would you be OK to find yourself in this situation?

What, where you email Tim Cook and get a solution?

ksec
> that I wonder why no other company has even tried to do that.

I could probably write a whole essay as to why Apple does it better. But if you are old enough, been through a few companies and seen how they work, also spend sometime observing companies outside your own industry. You should be able to find your own answer.

>should I be worried?

Ignoring their virtue signalling, moral judgment and hypocrisy ideals[1]. There isn't much you should worry about. In terms of user experience, it is clearly the best as you have described.

[1]( I dont think a user should care about any of that. Just dont come up to me saying they are the defender of Fundamental Human Right. )

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