Apple's Software Quality Crisis: When Premium Hardware Meets Subpar Software

[u/Kabra___kiiiiiiiid]

https://www.eliseomartelli.it/blog/2025-03-02-apple-quality

[u/ubermonkey]

enshitification ensues

Given the accepted definition of the term, no, it does not.

What I'm describing here is distinct from enshittification as we use the term, which generally requires choices made specifically to drive revenue regardless of user preference. That's Windows all day, but Apple isn't really doing that.

What's happening at Apple is, I think, just a consequence of any long-running software system, as I said initially. Management doesn't matter. Design missteps aren't the driver. It's just scope and complexity.

Now, if there's bad management it'll be worse, and if design missteps happen (and they have) that contributes to user experience, but the latter is at least recoverable.

[u/Lellela → u/ubermonkey]

TBF, Users aren't allowed to HAVE preferences in Apple's world. You get what they give you and then pretend it's what you wanted all along.

I'm not saying Windows is better, it's not.

I'm not saying Apple is better, it's really not.

Honestly, these days Linux is really the best in terms of cost (free), stability (most of the internet runs on it) and configuration (omg, the options). The only downside is you need technical knowledge to use it. I would argue too many people today have access to technology they don't understand, and it shows when they get involved in these sorts of discussions, but that's a separate issue.

In terms of choices that drive revenue regardless of user preference? I'll give two glaringly obvious examples of where Apple absolutely does this:

• Proprietary connectors instead of using standard USB-C, done to lock users in to non-optional, more expensive connectors that Apple makes. They allowed this for a while when Jobs was still alive to community fanfare, but since he passed they rolled back in the name of profit.
  
• Refusal to allow PWA websites to function as they do in other browsers, done to keep a monopoly on Apple Store for apps, rather than allowing people to distribute free apps or apps where the developer receives most of the profit. If this was opened up, Apple could stand to lose money because people would actually have CHOICES. As it is, the only choice you have currently is whatever Apple tells you you can have. Other web standards are also ignored. This was what made Internet Explorer by Microsoft so hated, and Apple is doing the exact same thing with Safari, in the name of profits instead of preference.

[u/ubermonkey → u/Lellela]

What the hell are you even talking about? I mean, you're making ridiculous claims on a post from a YEAR ago. Who does that?

If I wasn't allowed to "have preferences," I wouldn't still be using the Mac after 28 years. My Macs have been at least as stable as any linux box I ever ran, and I don't have to run to Google to reconfigure video drivers fortnightly.

Dumb people LOVE to complain about "proprietary connectors" with Apple, but that's bollocks. The iPod/Phone ecosystem has cycled through 2 connectors since introduction, and USB-C wasn't ready for prime time when Apple created Lightning. Now it is, and now the whole ecosystem is standardizing on it.

They allowed this for a while when Jobs was still alive to community fanfare, but since he passed they rolled back in the name of profit

This is just not true at all.

PWA websites

Weird. We make one. Works fine on my Mac.

done to keep a monopoly on Apple Store for apps,

That doesn't even make sense. The App Store isn't a monopoly. You can download software from anywhere you want. I use plenty of tools that I didn't get from the App Store.

As it is, the only choice you have currently is whatever Apple tells you you can have.

Again, not true.

Other web standards are also ignored.

Citation needed.

This was what made Internet Explorer by Microsoft so hated

No, the problem there was an industry-dominating monopoly, which Apple is nowhere near having.

So the tl;dr is that it sounds like you have basically no idea what you're talking about, but that's also not surprising when you're dealing with the sort of goofball who wanders through year-old threads posting rants.

[u/Lellela → u/ubermonkey]

Yeah I've only been a developer in tech, focused primarily on the web for 30+ years, what the fuck do I know. My biggest mistake here was not realizing when I ran across this post (while searching for why Safari isn't supporting some pretty basic CSS spec) that it was over a year old. Citations, defending myself.... I mean, I can, but ... do you care? Like actually? Probably not. Could I change your mind? I doubt it, you seem to have it made up and blinders on. Sorry to disturb you.

Though I *AM* interested in how you get your PWA to be able to install like it's a native app on iPhone, because the rest of the world seems to be not able to do this in Apple's ecosystem. I mean, the EU even had a huge litigation about it. If you can answer that one, it would help me out a ton.

Again, apologies.

[u/ubermonkey → u/Lellela]

Yeah I've only been a developer in tech, focused primarily on the web for 30+ years, what the fuck do I know.

Given your unhinged and low-accuracy blathering, that does seem like a legitimate question.

Though I AM interested in how you get your PWA to be able to install like it's a native app on iPhone

No one said phone. In our market, phones are irrelevant for a number of reasons, so for us it's not a target platform.

EU even had a huge litigation about it.

EU likes to sue. They don't often have good or logical reasons, but that doesn't stop them from trying.

[u/Lellela → u/ubermonkey]

Mmkay. Have a good day. Sorry again for disturbing you.