LOL. Right. Take off the white-colored glasses. Everything I've stated is objective, and it's not like it's new analysis. It's all over.

>Consumers are making a CHOICE to go with Apple.

Sure, but that wasn't my point.

>It's not anti-conusmer - it's offering a choice. Apple is not
>new - and these are not new moves - consumers know that Apple
>does this.

Sure, because they've been INURED to it. If the first Apple iPhone had come out where you had to hold it in a certain way to not interfere with the antenna, a different connector from your ipod and no headphone jack, would people have been ok with this? No, because it's happening all at once. When you spread out these provisions over the span of a decade though? Sure, it's way more palatable.

It's not coincidental that they're introducing a proprietary wireless format alongside removing the headphone jack. Eliminating Bluetooth now would be unconscionable. But imagine that announcement in 3-5 years, once everyone already has their BlueApple© headphones and BlueApple© wireless speakers and BlueApple© connected home system. You know, in the name of "battery efficiency". This is right up Apple's alley, and I'm leaning towards it being a certainty versus random speculation.

>Making the choice to go with Apple is not all
>upside - but it's not liek its sneaky or done in a way to
>actively fuck people just for money.

Are you sure about that? Check out this link:

http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/8/12842378/phil-schiller-iphone-headphone-jack-drm-pure-conspiracy-theory

Everything in that checklist is calculated to nickel and dime not just the consumers but their affiliates.


>And Apple could make a bad decision and have people leave en
>masse.

The ONLYway this would happen is if their batteries started blowing up AND start slashing your tires.


>You think the choice is more limited and "bad" for the
>consumer - many consumers don't agree (looking at Apple's
>profits its the case - looking at market share Apple is not
>the dominant player in the space.) (This isn't a poor person
>voting Republican situation.)

You really don't understand my point, do you? I'm not questioning people's choices to purchase Apple products, I'm questioning those people that DEFEND Apple's anti-consumer practices *cough cough*.

In other words, if you had simply said "yeah, I love Apple products but the headphone jack thing is just another precedent set in their shitty practices" then I would have nodded and KIM. But that's not the case here, is it?


>I think removing the headphone jack will definitely have some
>people leave. I agree (and posted over in the GD discussion)
>that not having the ability to listen to music with headphones
>and charge the iPhone at the same time will be bad -
>especially for people who own cars without iPhone
>integration.

Great, we agree on something! But while some people will leave, many, many more will stay. That's the leverage Apple has over Apple consumers: they've already invested so much time and money into their products that they're willing to put up with these inconveniences because they don't have the energy to switch.

And Apple knows this fact very, very well.


>There's always the iPhone dock or one of those Belkin
>splitters (not yet released) or bluetooth receiver - but again
>I agree it's bad.

And this is how Apple gets you. "Well yeah it sucks, but at least I can get these Apple branded accessories to get around it! And I think I'll convince others to do the same to validate my own purchases!"


>But I felt that removing the optical drive from laptops was a
>bad move - now I don't care at all (and I have a $60 bluray
>recorder when I need it.)

Inurement. This is the RDF in effect. "Oh I see... I was just holding my phone wrong! Duh."

>Pentalobe screws? Man, GOFOH. You could get the screwdrivers
>for $1.99 within two weeks of the switch.

LOL. That's not the point. Remember that nickel-and-diming? People couldn't go to third-party repair shops, they had to go to the Apple Branded Genius Bar to get their phones fixed.

The difference with the screws is Apple can't write software to brick a third party screwdriver. But they CAN write software to brick unlicensed Lightning manufacturers. I find it EXTREMELY interesting you didn't address that example of mine in the other post.

>
>As for audiophiles - they don't like the iPhone *now* - it
>won't make a difference. The last Apple product they loved was
>the 5th gen iPod.

Who cares? Is every single audiophile in the world a non-Apple user? What kind of reasoning is that? If you want, ditch "audiophile" and replace with "person who likes nice headphones". Is that a big enough demographic for you?

So Apple has now provided reasoning for "persons who likes nice headphones" to start thinking about buying BlueApple© branded headphones for better "battery efficiency". They don't have any non-Apple products in the home anyway, so why not? And in 3-5 years, when Apple eliminates Bluetooth from their phones.... meh, I barely use it anyway.


>What they do are buy headphone amps - or custom DACS with
>balanced headphone outputs.

Right. Keep excusing Apple with that type of reasoning. You just continue to prove my point.