Are You There Tim? It's Me, MacRumors

[JTK Awesome]

Anyone want to share rants they’ve sent to Tim Apple (not that he listens, like Steve Jobs used to)? I’ll start.

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Why Apple, why?

Why don’t the AirPods Pro include medium-large and extra-large eartips? There’s too big a size gap between Medium and Large, and as manufacturers like AZLA have indicated, there is a market for eartips larger than Apple’s largest.

Why does the HomePod (any generation) get worse with every update? There’s an increasing amount of selective deafness to voice commands, from complete misunderstandings to HomePods other than the nearest one responding to a given command. And the HomePod shouldn’t have “trouble with the connection” for simple commands like “increase the volume.”

Why does every iOS, iPadOS, and macOS require more system resources for less performance and stability? On iOS26, my iPhone 17 Pro Max has almost the same lack of responsiveness as my iPhone 13 did. My M5 iPad Pro suffers the same (plus additional app crashes and forced reboots) on iPadOS26, relative to my M1 IPad Air on iPadOS18. And our M2 Macs are worse on Tahoe than Sequoia.

One more thing: iPadOS18 was peak iPad multitasking. Bring that back as it was.

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iPadOS 26 is an Absolute Mess

I couldn’t agree more …

iPadOS 26 is an Absolute Mess

I don’t mean bugs. I expect bugs in a beta. I mean the UX is a hot mess. The entire multitasking system is now so convoluted and cumbersome that I am truly worried about how on Earth this was approved. I guarantee the people working on these systems did not want them to go live – this reeks of...

forums.macrumors.com

Split-view and slide-over worked perfectly well for an iPad-sized screen and an iPad OS. This current “more Mac like” UX can go in the same compost heap as Stage Manager. I believe it was Daring Fireball that wrote, “Let the iPad be an iPad; Let the Mac be a Mac.”

Mac OS’ Expose and Spaces were peak UX IMO. I’d welcome a better iPadOS implementation of that. In the meantime PLEASE bring back split-view and slide-over - the way they used to be in. IPadOS 18 - as a multitasking option in iPadOS26’s settings.

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What AI should be doing for us

Where AI can help is to revolutionize the UX. We so badly need to break the paradigm of apps, files, and folders. We spend so much of our time managing the flow of information from E-Mail, to Web conferencing, to Office apps, to whatever work-specific apps we use, to our device's file structure. AI should at least be able to seamlessly streamline that for us - basically take over where Mac OS’s attempt at tags failed.

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The tragic costs of e-waste

How about a Fairphone design for future iPhones and iPads? Because I doubt that these products are as recyclable as Apple claims.

If Apple really cared about the environment, you would make iPhones that were upgradable, rather than disposable.

REDUCE —> REUSE —> RECYCLE … in that order.

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AirPods Max

… Produce a new model of AirPods Max that are a TRUE upgrade. The latest release is not only behind the times in terms of technology (e.g. the H1 chip), but they are still too heavy, too ugly (new colors don’t fix this), and the carrying case is still too ridiculous.

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Beats Studio Pro USB-C audio and EQ-optimized sound profiles

Why can’t we have these sound profile options when listening to Beats Studio Pro‘s wirelessly? As-is, their sound signature is a disappointment compared to other Beats headphones.

Use your Beats Studio Pro

Learn how to control playback, adjust volume, answer phone calls, control noise, and use Siri or another voice assistant on Beats Studio Pro.

support.apple.com

 

[I7guy]

My iPhone 15PM and iPad Pro M5 operate very well on iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. Maybe try a fresh reinstall of iPadOS 26.

And I like iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. I would , though, on iPadOS 26 like to see the old split view back.

So Tim Apple if you are reading this, some of us customers (maybe more than some) like iOS 26.

 

[Abazigal]

I do find the new multitasking on iOS 26 a mixed bag. On one hand, it's a noticeable improvement compared to stage manager if you use it heavily for running multiple windowed apps, but on the other hand, it feels like a step back for people like me who rely heavily on the older split-screen paradigm. Getting two apps up and running feels more cumbersome and awkward (I rely mainly on shortcuts to launch them), not to mention that tapping on one app still results in the other app being hidden behind another app.

In sort, it feels too much like Windows, which is precisely what I didn't want my iPad to become.

I have no idea what the OP means by using AI to rethink the UI of the phone.

As for the issue of e-waste, I feel the reality is that each company is only willing to do what is financially advantageous for them (or at least, not to their disadvantage). For example, it's easy for Apple to remove chargers and EarPods from their devices because this lets them save on accessories and shipping costs, though it is undeniable that at the scale that Apple does operate, this will have a very significant on e-waste piling up everywhere.

Likewise, iOS devices tend to be supported for much longer (eg: 5-7 years) and are made of materials like glass and metal which are easier to recycle. This also improves their longevity and resale value. I am starting the fifth year of my 13 pro max and it's still going strong. Battery health is at 82%, and Apple does have provisions to have them replaced if need be.

I also used my 2018 iPad Pro for 6 years before upgrading to the M4 iPad Pro.

In this regard, it's miles ahead of cheaper plastic android handsets which feel even more disposable. They are certainly not upgradable, and their low price, poor build quality and worse specs make it even easier to just toss them out every other year.

I am also not sure how environmentally friendly a modular handset or tablet would end up being. There's the added packaging for the individual parts (like when you buy a tiny bluetooth dongle and it comes in a mountain of plastic packaging), the costs of shipping them, the logistics involved in keeping them in stock, some parts like processors simply just can't be swapped out, the design constraints (would consumers accept a thicker, bulkier and maybe less aesthetically pleasing design?) and at the end of the day, it may just be cheaper to invest in a flagship phone, hold on to it for 4-5 years (like myself), and upgrade it at one shot.

I am not too bothered about the AirPods Max. Since I wear glasses, I have accepted that in the interests of comfort, I am never going to wear over-the-year headphones (because I don't want them pressing my ears against my spectacle frame), I am a bit bummed about how the AirPods Pro 3 don't feel comfortably in my ears (they actually hurt), and so I am still on my AirPods Pro 2.

I guess I simply don't miss what I don't need. 😛

 

[M.Brane]

I just want to say good luck we're all counting on you.

 

[JTK Awesome]

I just want to say good luck we're all counting on you.

Thanks for proving Marty Crane right: "People stink."

Keep it classy MR.

My iPhone 15PM and iPad Pro M5 operate very well on iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. Maybe try a fresh reinstall of iPadOS 26.

And I like iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. I would , though, on iPadOS 26 like to see the old split view back.

So Tim Apple if you are reading this, some of us customers (maybe more than some) like iOS 26.

My iPhone 17 Pro Max came with iOS26 already installed, genius. That's as "clean" an install as you're gonna get.

I have no idea what the OP means by using AI to rethink the UI of the phone.

Settings are out of control. I doubt most people even know what's in there. AI should be figuring these out for us based on our usage patterns. That's a lot more useful than genmoji.

As for the issue of e-waste, I feel the reality is that each company is only willing to do what is financially advantageous for them (or at least, not to their disadvantage). For example, it's easy for Apple to remove chargers and EarPods from their devices because this lets them save on accessories and shipping costs, though it is undeniable that at the scale that Apple does operate, this will have a very significant on e-waste piling up everywhere.

If Apple is only striving for the same half-assed mediocrity as the competition, then they don't have a eco-leg to stand on, so they should stop telling the world how "green" they are.

I am also not sure how environmentally friendly a modular handset or tablet would end up being. There's the added packaging for the individual parts (like when you buy a tiny bluetooth dongle and it comes in a mountain of plastic packaging), the costs of shipping them, the logistics involved in keeping them in stock, some parts like processors simply just can't be swapped out, the design constraints (would consumers accept a thicker, bulkier and maybe less aesthetically pleasing design?) and at the end of the day, it may just be cheaper to invest in a flagship phone, hold on to it for 4-5 years (like myself), and upgrade it at one shot.

Agree to disagree. Think about how old-school tower PCs could last forever because of modularity and DIY-able upgradeability (as well as repairability). I would argue that's better for the environment then throwing away an entire PC, and buying a new one, every 3-5 years. The analogy holds for smart phones.

I am not too bothered about the AirPods Max. Since I wear glasses, I have accepted that in the interests of comfort, I am never going to wear over-the-year headphones (because I don't want them pressing my ears against my spectacle frame), I am a bit bummed about how the AirPods Pro 3 don't feel comfortably in my ears (they actually hurt), and so I am still on my AirPods Pro 2.

Then why comment on APM since you have no opinion them?