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You’re absolutely right Apple has taken public stances on issues like privacy, climate, and inclusion. But those are broad, mostly values driven positions, not partisan endorsements. What I was getting at is that Apple carefully avoids close association with individuals who have become polarizing, especially those who openly inject politics into their commentary.

In Gruber’s case, it’s not just that he leans liberal (which is fine), it’s that he recently crossed into personal insult territory like mocking Tim Cook for congratulating Trump and implying he had “Cheetos-dusted testicles” in his mouth. That kind of language, no matter how tongue in cheek, isn’t just political it’s inflammatory and crass, and puts Apple in a tough spot if they’re seen as endorsing or platforming that voice.

So yeah, maybe this year’s WWDC snub has less to do with criticism of Siri and more to do with Apple saying: We’re not tying our brand to anyone who might turn into a headline liability. And honestly, that’s probably smart.
I didn’t read his articles to be honest, if that’s what he wrote then I agree with Apple not showing up.

But it doesn’t change the fact that he is quite right in saying what he said and also doesn’t change my opinion that Apple took a very, very leftist stance, we see it throughout the ecosystem too, there are more rainbow wallpapers than features..

And with this post I don’t intend to initiate a political debate, just giving my opinion
 
This is my fear as a shareholder who watches this company extremely closely and uses most of its products...That the wider public is going to start to be annoyed by the "baseball" stuff. Everyone in my family (3 kids and wife) all curse at Siri (large HomePod) every day. I constantly hear "God, she is soooo stupid!!!" Siri, add turkey meat to the shopping list. I added Turkey and Meat to the shopping list... Arrrrrrgggghhhh!!! They have to repeat their commands constantly because Siri doesn't reply or act. Sync'd large HomePods (latest gen and previous gen - we have both) pause music for a second every 15 minutes give or take (I have Gigabit Spectrum Internet with Eero 7 Wifi). It's like Apple ships products and then stops testing certain setups. It doesn't seem there is enough emphasis on interoperability. Makes me wonder if upper management is not providing enough budget for these types of things.
This happens in my family also, but it is not related to Siri. My wife, a non-technical user is constantly complaining about Apple functionality that no longer works, or where the usability has gone to zero because they put actions hidden using the "wack-a-mole" concept. You know move your finger or curser around the screen until something pops up, then wack it. Most time the functionality is present, but they have put it in the most stupid and non-obvious place.

Usability is dead at Apple these days, unless one is obsessed with Apple and willing to search the internet or poke around at everything to figure out how to make it work.

Then there are the outright usability failures.

For example, when I login to my developer account I click the username and it is pre-filled. Great. Then I select password from the button, not passkey. Then the password field is displayed, I click it and the password box pops up. I select the password fro the list and nothing happens. The password does not autofill. So I have to click the username field again, then password again, to get it to work. The code for logging into web sites was settled 20 years ago, but Apple cannot get it right today. This kind of stupid pervades Apple software these days.
 
All kidding aside, for some reason, I think there will be a change of tune and Tim Apple himself will show up to explain the whole thing to John. That would be a class act if he did.

I mean, lying to poor John and hurting his feelings. The head Apple should come and make things right. That's his job right?

Someone less lazy than me should start a petition.
 
No they don’t, why increase the click count of your critics? If you believe cook will be booed off a stage you’re totally off base.

Spot-on. People who expect 100% perfection 100% of the time where humans are involved, and hang out on tech forums living to witness and relish an occasional Apple faux pas, represent a very teeny tiny minority of Apple's 1+ Billion active and repeat customers.

Life goes on. Apple will continue being one of the most successful consumer tech companies in the world. Just as most people living on planet Earth will live to witness the Sun rising early next morning.
 
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No they don’t, why increase the click count of your critics? If you believe cook will be booed off a stage you’re totally off base.

It probably is not so much him being a 'critic' as much as throwing Apple under to bus to cover his own butt. Interweaved with problems with Apple is stuff like

" This shouldn’t have just raised a concern in my head. It should have set off blinding red flashing lights and deafening klaxon alarms. "

And yet the article isn't entitled "Sorry readers , I screwed up" , it is entitled "apple is rotten". He was flummox by the "Apple Intelligence " branding thing ... when it was discussed with him quite plainly at last years WWDC Talk show event. The reality distortion field 'ate' my spidey senses. It isn't his fault; It is Apple's.

At the beginning of the AI section of last years WWDC Talk Show, Gruber cracked a joke that "Apple Intelligence is not just a ploy to sell more iPhones". The Audience laughs loudly. The Apple folks even chuckle. (because in part it is true. It is not just only a ploy, but Apple is aligning themselves to the AI hype train like dozens of other companies. ) And yet later it is 'shock' and 'dismay' that a narrow subset of the sales pitch is just hype. And the person at Apple micromanaging the specific sales/marketing material is not the chief of marketing but ... Tim Cook. (probably not).

Gruber isn't doing critiquing as much as blame shifting. Apple handed him 'click count' by giving him an exclusive to reveal that some of the AI features are drifting into next iOS/etc generation cycle's rollout. Where he likely shot himself in the foot was several days later trying to distance. himself from that slide by shifting blame onto Apple why he couldn't recognize something. Plus the earlier commentary about Tim Cook sucking Trump body parts really doesn't help the long term relationship either.
 
It probably is not so much him being a 'critic' as much as throwing Apple under to bus to cover his own butt. Interweaved with problems with Apple is stuff like

" This shouldn’t have just raised a concern in my head. It should have set off blinding red flashing lights and deafening klaxon alarms. "

And yet the article isn't entitled "Sorry readers , I screwed up" , it is entitled "apple is rotten". He was flummox by the "Apple Intelligence " branding thing ... when it was discussed with him quite plainly at last years WWDC Talk show event. The reality distortion field 'ate' my spidey senses. It isn't his fault; It is Apple's.

At the beginning of the AI section of last years WWDC Talk Show, Gruber cracked a joke that "Apple Intelligence is not just a ploy to sell more iPhones". The Audience laughs loudly. The Apple folks even chuckle. (because in part it is true. It is not just only a ploy, but Apple is aligning themselves to the AI hype train like dozens of other companies. ) And yet later it is 'shock' and 'dismay' that a narrow subset of the sales pitch is just hype. And the person at Apple micromanaging the specific sales/marketing material is not the chief of marketing but ... Tim Cook. (probably not).

Gruber isn't doing critiquing as much as blame shifting. Apple handed him 'click count' by giving him an exclusive to reveal that some of the AI features are drifting into next iOS/etc generation cycle's rollout. Where he likely shot himself in the foot was several days later trying to distance. himself from that slide by shifting blame onto Apple why he couldn't recognize something. Plus the earlier commentary about Tim Cook sucking Trump body parts really doesn't help the long term relationship either.
His unhinged political takes have always been gutter-tier, and he's got every right to use the platform he made to push them. But then again, I think it was unwise to say what he did about Cook and Trump, and that's what got him black-balled. Nothing else. He can spin his persona non grata status as invigorating but you just know he's regretting that when he's left alone with his thoughts at night. He had a sweetheart deal astroturfing for Apple and blew it.
 
You are leaving a pretty big part of that story out…
Steve only held a press conference… Because his first response was to tell a customer “you’re holding it wrong” in a passive aggressive email first, and he had to do damage control.
Also, antenna gate was an actual hardware issue, the Apple Intelligence delays are the same delays that Microsoft, Amazon and Google have all faced.
Microsoft had to delay recall for an entire year, Amazon announced Alexa+ months ago and it’s still nowhere to be seen at least full featured.
All of these AI companies are delaying their pie in the sky voice assistants, there’s really nothing Apple can say.
They just get the most press coverage, because they are Apple.

Exactly. Turns out, this whole AI thing, while entertaining at times, is very hard to put to use for general "Siri, do your thing and help me do my stuff" type of problems.

Any of the thousands of engineers they must have on the payroll by now for just this subject would have been able to tell them that, when pressed.
 
Exactly. Turns out, this whole AI thing, while entertaining at times, is very hard to put to use for general "Siri, do your thing and help me do my stuff" type of problems.

Any of the thousands of engineers they must have on the payroll by now for just this subject would have been able to tell them that, when pressed.
I firmly believe Apple has a deep stable of talent that could fix the issue if the C-level goons got out of the way and let them work. Leadership is THE NUMBER 1 problem with Apple. Products are solid. It's the decision makers.
 
wooow who could’ve seen that coming 🤦‍♂️
Lying about what Apple is doing is a fast track to souring a relationship..
Gruber lying? You better have some proof there. He may not hold their feet to the fire, but lying about Apple being the reason Apple pulled out? Ridiculous.
 
This post from Steve is spot on.
We've all been saying as much about the "access journalism" around Apple for a full decade plus now.


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Rare is the day you get something insightful from the execs at Apple when they do press visits or interviews. I'm not even asking for info on what is coming next, but just that fiery drive to push technology or dictate where they see it going.
Good point. Steve did this all the time. His talk from the 80s to a group of designers being my most favorite. But that requires boldness, being sure of yourself, being proud of what you're doing. Apple's C-suite lacks any qualities that would be described in that way.
 
I was wondering how Apple was going to react to all the negative publicity on so many fronts. They are in hunker down mode. Glad I don't have to be responsible for defending all the chickens who have come home to roost this year.
You think Apple is in “hunker down mode”? But you’re right, Tim Cook gets paid handsomely for defending the chickens.
 
You think Apple is in “hunker down mode”? But you’re right, Tim Cook gets paid handsomely for defending the chickens.
Not OP, but I think they are laser focused on putting out something good, and are jettisoning anything that is not in service of that end, yes. Including superfluous interviews and appearances with bitter curmudgeons. Best to keep your head down and focus on shipping. And that's fine I'd rather that than whatever lack of focus has stricken them this year.
 
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It's amazing how people's attitudes (even my attitude) has trended negative towards Apple over the least year. I poured my life savings into Apple in 2006 so I have every reason to love apple

This isn’t the same Apple as 2006.

Apple today is a multi-trillion dollar behemoth, not the “think different” option with <1% market share. They are max corporate now. Also, it seems like a lot of great people took the share gains and left/retired, and their replacements simply aren’t good enough. Apple today hires the same kids as every other big/small company, with the same lack of experience and same poor ideas; they lack that “Apple magic”.

Apple has just has no soul these days.

They still make sure to charge a lot more than everyone else and scrimp on literally everything, though (I guess we need to thank AI for forcing them to increase the RAM though).

Then you look at perennial failures like the iPad; amazing hardware absolutely let down by Apple’s software teams. Any other OS would do that hardware better and deliver customers a more exciting product, and literally every review, every single year, says exactly the same thing. Then you look at the car project, and at Apple Vision Pro, the lack of major update for the 10th anniversary Apple Watch, the fact that all of iOS’s major features were suspended for AI work that was full of fake demos and is still not here.

Let’s face it: Apple today are a soulless mega-corp, and their product portfolio these days is full of awkward mediocrity rather than smash hits.
 
This happens in my family also, but it is not related to Siri. My wife, a non-technical user is constantly complaining about Apple functionality that no longer works, or where the usability has gone to zero because they put actions hidden using the "wack-a-mole" concept. You know move your finger or curser around the screen until something pops up, then wack it. Most time the functionality is present, but they have put it in the most stupid and non-obvious place.

Usability is dead at Apple these days, unless one is obsessed with Apple and willing to search the internet or poke around at everything to figure out how to make it work.

Then there are the outright usability failures.

For example, when I login to my developer account I click the username and it is pre-filled. Great. Then I select password from the button, not passkey. Then the password field is displayed, I click it and the password box pops up. I select the password fro the list and nothing happens. The password does not autofill. So I have to click the username field again, then password again, to get it to work. The code for logging into web sites was settled 20 years ago, but Apple cannot get it right today. This kind of stupid pervades Apple software these days.
Yes this is pervasive. And yet there are people here who deny it. Why is that?
 
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I was wondering how Apple was going to react to all the negative publicity on so many fronts. They are in hunker down mode.

How? Talking to Gruber is not in any way shape or form technically necessary for Apple to react/attractp a large audience. The "WWDC talk show" edition piggybacks on WWDC ( Apple's event) ; not the other way around. Not talking to Gruber does not 'restrict' Apple in any way from talking with someone else instead.

As Grubers message about getting dropped by Apple , they have been attending since 2015. Does Apple still support 32-bit Arm apps? Nope. dropped it. At WWDC 2014 Apple introduced iOS 8 ( sure iOS 8 had some arm64 elements) . in iOS In the proscess of dropping x86 macOS (recent leaks more systems disappearing off the supported list). WWDC 2015 was in San Fransciso. ... when has WWDC been in SF in the last 6 years? Again Dropped. "Hunker down" would be squatting on doing the same thing they have been doing. Apple regularly makes products drift of into retirement after 10 years. (if the product category remains the product itself has a deep reboot/refresh/reimagining. )

Secondly, it is really an odd from of hiding when Apple was the ones in the first place who sent Gruber the 'exclusive' that features were sliding into the next releases. It is more likely Apple is going to stop talking about products that have less deep into the release cycle. ( not worrying as much as about catching some hype train meme. ) . Extremely, good chance Apple will have more to say at WWDC. Their activities around WWDC going to be about lowering their profile file. Perhaps a shift to more "under promise and over deliver" , but retreating from interactions? Probably not.

They probably won't do it , but dropping Gruber means if they really didn't like him they could Steamroll his event with counter programming. That wouldn't be 'hunkering down' at all.


Big picture Apple participating in events wrapped around WWDC is to further ehance the reach and depth of WWDC. Not a complete universal viewership metric. (doesn't do live and only one, although large dominating platform) but two videos from WWDC 2024 time frame.

Replay of Talk Show ( 116K views )

MBKHD interview of Tim Cook ( 3M views )

Brownlee talks about stuff non Apple ( substantially more so than Gruber). In 2014 probably a higher priority on 'boosting' an ecosystem advocate. Also more so on the local folks gathered in the relatively small venue near WWDC. But if the primary objective is to get incrementally more depth to your message out to more folks, would Gruber the optimal pick in 2025 for the "Joswiak , Federighi , plus guest" group?


[
The Gruber question asking and general formal was basically the same back in 2014 ...


]

"Hunker down" is also a path to doing thing the same ways as the 'old days' in a dogma fashion. Hunker down could also easily be a trap that they fall into the "We are Apple ... we are smarter and richer than those other folks ... we'll just inertia our way through this" is actually part of the problem. That is a lack of adaption to change.


Glad I don't have to be responsible for defending all the chickens who have come home to roost this year.

The AI products sliding is likely primarily not a "chickens come home to roost" problem. A major factor is likely dealing with a more unpredictable 'product'. A hardware circuit is defective , fixing it tends to get a new system that behaves closer to the original specification. Likewise, a software bug usually tracks down to some 'bone head' code mistake hat was either off specs or misaligned with the specs. The systems trend to being deterministic in that once the bug is fixed it stays that way.

Pegging mostly deterministic systems into a rigid 12 month release schedule is difficult , but reasonably tractable. Rigid dogma lines up with 'rigid properties' systems.

These "piled higher and deeper" LLMs tend to be far more opaque black boxes and have extensive 'guard rails' to keep them corralled into an 'acceptable zone' . The system will 'make stuff up" so refinement proces is relaxed toward acceptable enough errant behavior.

Pegging substantially less deterministic system into a rigid 12 month release schedule isn't particularly reasonable.

Apple's penchant of 'painting themselves into a corner' is a bit of a "chickens coming home to roost' problem . Apple also outlined some conflicting goals . They want a LLM agent that will help creative writers some questionable stuff ( like "Tim Cook sucks various Trump body parts) in the spirit of helping 'creators create'. Meanwhile also want a system with some wisdom encodes to not write things that probably will get the user in trouble ( i.e., are unwise).
Ultra-privacy policy , but also have need to get to better training data. ( Siri generally has no 'hey you screwed up that last interaction' mechanism. If Siri is obivlious that it got something wrong , it very likely isn't going to get any better. Voicemail transcription has a feedback 'button' . It can get better. )

When Apple would run into a "form over function" conflict Jobs would sometimes say they like to "have their cake and it it too". Apple is always going to have chickens coming to roost problems; it is somewhat built into the DNA of the company. The additional self imposed constraints to make things and an even harder challenge tend to spawn about as many problems as they 'solve'.
 
Good point. Steve did this all the time. His talk from the 80s to a group of designers being my most favorite. But that requires boldness, being sure of yourself, being proud of what you're doing. Apple's C-suite lacks any qualities that would be described in that way.
I remember him killing flash with a long form letter and lack of mac support, dropping a dvd drive and saying that apps will be delievered via stores and him being attacked for it, and well... look at the tech landscape now. So many other ways he dragged the tech industry along which I miss.

Tim Cook does his job by running the typical CEO playbook. Now having said that, they started their own chips, now modems, drove wearables forward, and there have been some big iterations to macos that I've come to appreciate.
 
This post from Steve is spot on.
We've all been saying as much about the "access journalism" around Apple for a full decade plus now.


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There are a couple of broad sweeping generalizations there that don't hold up.

First, if Rabbit and/or Humane had $3-4B in cash ( not a hand waving VC valuations , but cash money in the bank. ) it is far more unlikely they would have been 'written off' so fast. There are expectations weaved into these articles. Some of those expectations have to do with survivability.

When Apple was having very substantial cash flow problems ( borrowing money from Microsoft) , general tech reviews about new Apple products were not all hyper optimal future either.

More than a few times deep compromises in the products are because the companies are almost broke. If there is no obvious way the money to fix them will show up ... then it probably won't get fixed.

Apple's mere bank account balance made "Vision Pro 2" an order of magnitude more likely than "Hamine Pin 2" or "version 2".

Similarly can see same effect with the io/OpenAI/Johny Ive thing. OpenAI just threw $1B at it. That is going to get plausibility coming out of these stories about the device. If only to find out what those investors got paid the huge some of money for out of curiosity. Hype gets coverage in part because it is hype ( just an inherent property of the 'beast' not a conspiracy theory. Roughly the same effects that gets traffic slowsdows of people 'rubber necking' to look at traffic accidents. No 'conspiracy' there either; just human nature. )

Second, the notion that folks are 'walking out of WWDC' with an interview is likely flawed. At the higher C-level executive level nobody 'walks out' who didn't have an interview schedule when the 'walked in'. Logistically, it is extremely likely not a willy-nilly match process.
[ e.g. renting out the San Jose California Theater probably required a deposit at something more than just the day before the event. ]
And automatically compromised because of a scheduled meeting? Really??? Is someone vetted before scheduling? Probably yes. Does the vetting process inherently mean 'compromised'? Generally no. Will vetting screen for biases ? A prudent, responsible one should.


Apple has always been a for profit company. They probably are not going to schedule a interview with a hyper marixt journal that primarily wants to ask 'questions' about why they have too much money and have failed to implement the grand Communist agenda. Just not a productive use of their limited time.
 
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At Apple we are incredibly excited not to share the reality of our work year and now here's someone you don't care about reading a prepared script about an exciting feature, that's isn't AI or a bug fix you hoped for, but will hopefully boost our share price.
 
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