Apple Tells Congress It Hasn't Been Profiting From Repairs in Response to Antitrust Probe

[pika2000]

You're confusing platforms with marketplaces. Can you run macOS apps on Windows? Can you put a Honda cd-player into a Toyota? No, but that has nothing to do with how apps or cars are sold, and has to do with software and hardware compatibility, interfaces, etc.

Not really.

The App Store on iOS is the same idea as a PlayStation being able to only play PlayStation games. It’s a closed system. There’s no “anti trust” nor “monopoly” here.

As for prices, that’s up to the developers. Since the developer sell their apps directly to consumers, there’s no anti-trust imo.

In the traditional retailer concept, retailers buy stuff from the producers, and then they compete with each other by re selling the product to consumers. Consumers don’t interact directly with producers.

But what if the producer themselves can sell their stuff directly to consumers? That’s what the App Store did, allowing software developers to sell apps digitally directly to consumers. So the traditional concept of “competition” and “monopoly” no longer applies here. The software developers are pricing their own products and selling them directly to consumers via the App Store. Why do you want a “competitor middle-men” here when you are already dealing directly with the software developer? Why should the software developer be competing with him/herself?

 

[m4mario]

Do people in this forum realize that if proven that Apple is lying, Apple employees responsible will go to jail? Its better not to do someone else's finances. We don't know their costs and quality standards, especially when its a large scale company.

 

[PickUrPoison]

No they just look you dead in the eye and say “it’s going to cost (insert crazy amount here) to fit it. Maybe it’s time for an upgrade anyway?” So of course there’s no profit in repairs, they push you to buy a new one.

I have had excellent experience with the quality and longevity of Apple products, and so have hundreds of millions of others. Though it’s very upsetting to some of the posters here at MR, Apple has an incredibly high rate of customer satisfaction. So much so that customers are extremely loyal, giving Apple a huge number of repeat buyers. That doesn’t happen if customers don’t feel like they’re getting value for money.

Are some repairs expensive? Sure. But pissing off customers with huge repair estimates doesn’t really have the effect of making customers eager to buy another Apple product that you think it does. That’s the way you drive a customer to your competitor’s product. But as Apple products are very reliable on the whole, many customers never require service at all.

 

[pika2000]

Their answer in question 2 why users cannot set a default app for safari is why anti-trust exists. Users should be able to decide for themselves, not be forced because Apple believes or wants it to be superior. Does Apple not trust its own users to decide for themselves or are they afraid of competition?

I want to play Xbox game on my PlayStation. Why does Sony not allow it?

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Like I'm going to believe Apple is going to do something at a loss

Today@Apple is almost completely a loss. Paying someone to gesticulate with an iPad for hours a day (whether folks are in attendance or not!!) is a waste of time/money.
I say “almost” because MAYbe a few people have said, “Woah, I didn’t know iOS could do that, I’d like to buy one of those please!” But, even if they did, the number of folks in EVERY store standing before empty seats offsets whatever the profit was on that purchase! LOL

 

[pika2000]

Do people in this forum realize that if proven that Apple is lying, Apple employees responsible will go to jail? Its better not to do someone else's finances. We don't know their costs and quality standards, especially when its a large scale company.

Don’t you know everybody here are CEOs of Fortune 500 companies? /s

 

[twolf2919]

This is more than a little hard to believe, with their cost of fixing a display. And third party "fixit" stores are selling displays and doing the repairs for cheaper, and still making money - and they don't have access to Apple's supply lines. It doesn't make any sense, I'm calling rubbish.

Sure, they make money where they can. But surely a laptop or motherboard that gets replaced under warranty because an unrepairable part broke (which is more and more, given how much gets soldered on rather than is socketed these days) is quite a large cost to Apple as well. So I'm not convinced their numbers are total rubbish.

 

[G5isAlive]

No, but there are plenty of places that sell Xbox and Playstation games at significantly varied prices thereby creating competition!
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Pretty much explains it... you said zero about the background that led to that decision, for all we know it's a coprorate laptop, for example, like I said, you're patently being economical with the truth to score a point that just ain't stacking up!

and your lack of understanding regarding Apple clearly indicates you haven’t been to a Genius Bar, most likely don’t own an Apple product. Hint, google ‘troll’

 

[I7guy]

...Let Apple tell us how many people coming in for repairs are "convinced" to buy a new device instead, and how much they make on that overall transaction.

Let Apple tells us how many people coming in for repairs decided, on their own volition, because it wasn’t worth it to repair an old device in their opinion, to buy a new device instead and how much they make in that overall transaction?
Car dealers would rather you buy a new car than repair and old one and the list goes on and on. I can’t see what is unique to any one manufacturer.

 

[0x0x0x0]

and your lack of understanding regarding Apple clearly indicates you haven’t been to a Genius Bar, most likely don’t own an Apple product. Hint, google ‘troll’

I have plenty, but you clearly can't defend the indifensible so you attempt to reframe! 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣

And the only time I had to go to the "Genius Bar" was to have them replace the mobo in my 2011 17" MBP, why on Earth would I go to their "Genius Bar," is it your hanging out spot? 🤣

 

[Razeus]

True, but I can go to their competitor and buy it if they booted it; with iOS, iPadOS (or whatever it's called), I *cannot*

The next thing you know, you'll want to play Mario Kart and complain because it can't be played on your PS4.

 

[0x0x0x0]

And I call BS on you ever having been a Genius I’d you’re seriously going to try and say they make the <10£/hr

here you go: https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salary/Apple-Salaries-E1138.htm Did you seriously thnk they employ highly trained experts? 🤣

 

[Zdigital2015]

Does Apple not profit from selling AppleCare+ insurance by selling poorly protected hardware? Which other tech company sells its own-brand insurance alongside its hardware?

Acer
Dell
HP
Lenovo

Next stupid question...

 

[happyprozak]

My main issue is with the App Store, and how Apple can unilaterally decide what isn't allowed, how apps should transact, and what functions are allowed. They make these decisions in a black box, with no way to appeal or reverse a decision.

Essentially, we (society) are letting the role consumer protection to become privatized to Apple and Google. Is anyone happy with that?

What would your solution be? If Apple did not regulate what apps are allowed we would have the same situation we have with desktop computers where malicious apps can be installed by unsuspecting users. Unfortunately, most people fall under the category of unsuspecting and they need protecting.

While I agree that allowing Apple and Google to be the arbiters of what is appropriate is an issue for society, we do have an actual and real benefit in Apple and Google reviewing apps for malicious intentions. At least at the moment, Apple and Google reviewing apps for moral and political correctness is the cost of securing our devices.

 

[macfacts]

Do people in this forum realize that if proven that Apple is lying, Apple employees responsible will go to jail? Its better not to do someone else's finances. We don't know their costs and quality standards, especially when its a large scale company.

You only get in trouble for lies when you are under oath. Example, you aren't under oath when tweeting.

 

[0x0x0x0]

The next thing you know, you'll want to play Mario Kart and complain because it can't be played on your PS4.

You're not even close, and you missed the point of what I said, or you're that dumb---the point is that you can buy games for both PS4 and Xbox in many places, which invalidates what I was responding to, I wan't talking about games exclusive for platforms! But, in any case, I can buy Mario Kart in many shops too, I don't need to go to Nintendo Store! Dumbarse!

 

[mikethemartian]

And why does congress care?

Votes

 

[jwdsail]

Obviously, if you include AppleCare in-warranty repairs, and extended repair covering many MacBooks w/ Butterfly keyboards, Apple hasn't likely profited from *performing* repairs.

What they likely have profited from is the many cases the out-of-warranty repairs cost so much, (due to designs that prioritize thin over any other feature, and limited availability of parts elsewhere) that users go and buy a new one, which Apple then makes about 20-30% profit on...

iOS / App Store policies that focus on user privacy and security I find hard to get upset with. (As long as Apple follows through on maintaining that security and privacy) If people find iOS too limiting, Android is right there. Know plenty of people who have switched back and forth more than a few times.

 

[dazz87]

yeah right.......

 

[oneMadRssn]

What would your solution be? If Apple did not regulate what apps are allowed we would have the same situation we have with desktop computers where malicious apps can be installed by unsuspecting users. Unfortunately, most people fall under the category of unsuspecting and they need protecting.

While I agree that allowing Apple and Google to be the arbiters of what is appropriate is an issue for society, we do have an actual and real benefit in Apple and Google reviewing apps for malicious intentions. At least at the moment, Apple and Google reviewing apps for moral and political correctness is the cost of securing our devices.

I agree that people need protecting. I also agree that there is a real benefit to having Apple and Google be the reviewers. What I have an issue with is the rules they set and how those rules are enforced; and I think that is a role for government.

To start, I think a regulatory agency should set out some minimum criteria for review that software marketplaces such as Apple's and Google's must obey - a sort of digital app-developer bill of rights. Things like:

• Absolute prohibitions on app categories must be openly debated and voted on by relevant committee;
• There must be an open and consistent process for appealing decisions made during a review;
• The platform owners (Google and Apple) cannot impose limitations on other developers that they do not also impose on themselves - including availability of APIs;
• Developers with a common interest can join together to form a committee and influence how the platform owner treats their type of software.

There are obviously more ideas, and I'm sure people will poke holes in the examples above. But the point is regulation is needed.

 

[SamuelFleming]

That repair costs exceed repair revenue doesn't surprise me at all.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought this. I suspect those who are saying otherwise aren't thinking big enough picture.

 

[m4mario]

You only get in trouble for lies when you are under oath. Example, you aren't under oath when tweeting.

"it’s also illegal to make false statements to Congress even if you're not under oath"

5 people who lied to Congress, and what happened to them

In the modern era, few individuals have actually been convicted of perjury or related charges for making dishonest statements to lawmakers.

www.nbcnews.com

Lying to Congress can put you in jail, even if you're not under oath

The President's eldest son (Donald Trump Jr.) son-in-law (Jared Kushner) and former campaign chairman (Paul Manafort) are sitting down with the staff and members of several Senate committees, but sources tell CNN some of the meetings will be behind closed doors and not under oath.

www.cnn.com

 

[H2SO4]

I tried a "fixit store" once. Worst experience ever. Not only did they put the wrong parts on, but they gave us someone else's iPhone when we picked it up. Then, had the gall to charge us more than they quoted.

You get what you pay for.

No. That's one of those sayings used to fit a narrative.
Example. You pay X for RAM at Manufacturer A. You pay 2X for exactly the same RAM at Company B once they have marked it up and put it in their product.

 

[639051]

I tried a "fixit store" once. Worst experience ever. Not only did they put the wrong parts on, but they gave us someone else's iPhone when we picked it up. Then, had the gall to charge us more than they quoted.

You get what you pay for.

You're right, which means you should be researching a repair facility and selecting a good one. Judging them all by the crummy experience you had at one shop is bad practice, but by the sound of it you paid very little (hence the you get what you pay for line), you should expect very little. Going for the cheapest anything is simply going to result in cheap, but going for the most expensive is rarely getting you more than the middle ground repair price.

 

[0x0x0x0]

Acer
Dell
HP
Lenovo

Next stupid question...

... and on top of that, I don't know about Acer and HP, but Lenovo and Dell are three year warranty by default!