This Free App Unlocks AirPods Features on Android Devices

[turbineseaplane]

What the eu has done does not lower switching costs. You still have to sell your phone, buy a new phone.

My point about government dictating requirements stands. None of that makes it better for the consumer. Devs like epic win.

My understanding is that they don't think it's reasonable that one has to switch.
I'm not sure their goal is to lower switching costs at all.

I agree that their effectiveness at any of this is in question, but I do understand their hope and intent and agree with many aspects of it.

Cheers ✌️

 

[marte91]

I used to think it was okay...I have since changed my mind, and I'm now I'm decidedly against the concepts of closed ecosystems. Who or why doesn't matter.

i do understand, you do have the right to change your mind, but it seems a lost cause to complain about this particular case, i think apple will stop selling iphones before they open the ecosystem.

 

[djphat2000]

I agree with this.
It doesn't help with existing purchases however.

A big flaw in the "vote with your wallet" situation is that we all have existing products with long lives and it's unreasonable to expect folks to get rid of everything and buy new stuff in a different ecosystem.

Part of why the EU has come after some of these situations is that exact point (switching costs).

If the idea is when you purchase something it should last as long as it can. Then, maybe we should also consider purchasing a product initially that is supported by as many vendors as possible. This is still something that is up to the consumer. Apple just makes the product. And they make two sets of headsets (AirPods and Beats). Buy the Beats if you want multi platform support. Buy AirPods if you want it to work as best it can with Apple products. And since Apple makes 3 versions of AirPods. We have options on which one to get. They also make a variety of Beats headphones. So there should be something for everyone. Not to mention the variety of brands that support both Apple and Android and analog connectivity.

I think everyone has a ton of existing products. And when something new comes along, the desire to get it will just have to weigh against what you can afford (or want to spend on), vs what you already have and if it will work perfectly with it or not. These are choices and they should be made according to what that consumer wants to do. Just like if you already had a good pair of AirPods and see the new ones and say "hummm, I like those features. But, what I have works perfectly fine.". Or I'm thinking of switching to a Samsung phone, and I don't want to have to get new headsets as I like my AirPods.

Why should any government be involved in your decision? You make that choice. You choose to spend on something new or not. Forcing any company to say "you have to be compatible with everyone else so that the customer can mix and match as they see fit at the least amount of cost". Well, why not say all companies have to operate under an open standard? Remove IP, Trademarks, and anything that identifies it specifically to one company. No special sauce, you must share it with everyone else. And everyone else must adapt it at whatever cost it may be to implement it, and on and on. What incentive do we expect any company to have under such laws? Why come out with something new? Just wait for someone else to make something cool, and get it for nothing..

 

[Haiku_Oezu]

Yeah the AirPods features have been reverse engineered for a while now

I have a plugin for my Steam Deck that lets me switch the noise cancelling mode on the AirPods directly from the SD’s UI

This looks like a much more advanced version of that

 

[sunapple]

This is just straight logic. I'm viewing it as if I was Apple. Just as I would view it if I was Google, or if I was Micro$oft. If you are running a company. You have to run your company. Not someone else's. It wouldn't make any sense to depend upon another company for your companies success. You should depend upon yourself as much as possible.

For a long time Microsoft just made the OS. Google was primarily a search engine. Apple always made the OS and the computer. They all branched out into the tech landscape with new products and software offerings. And when it made sense to offer something any one of them made. To work with any other of their competitors. They did. And if it didn't make sense (cents or dollars). They don't.

None of us are able to determine what that challenge would be to Apple to support third party makers in this space. And since every expense has to be valued against a return on investment. You nor I nor the EU can say "just do it because you can". And this would have to be continuous support. Not just a one off. Not only because it would be advertised as such on the box. But, because people like Linus would immediately go from "Thanks Apple", to "C'mon Apple, this is BS! Fix my old AirPods on this latest version of Android and Samsung S33ue.2 Ultra Galaxy already!! It's been seconds since it's been out!!". It's just a VendorID flip!!!! Meanwhile the whole way Bluetooth works on Android changes or breaks something basic that used to work just fine on older models. Or the OS on Samsungs phones breaks compatibility in a way not expected. And on and on. Just buy a pair of Beats.

Our freedoms as a consumer is in being able to purchase what is available as it is. You're not owed anything beyond what was promised by the vendor/company that sold you a product. Expecting it to just work as they advertised it to work on something they made. To something they did not, is not a reasonable expectation. It maybe something you and others want. But, it isn't something that should be expected. They didn't sell it to you with that ability. If you want to hack it to work, go for it. But that's an on the consumer thing. Not a "I spend $250 on these pods and it should work on things other than what was listed on the manual!" thing.

Which is why Apple likes to be vertically integrated. When something changes. They can fix it across the lineup. We would expect there to not be a break but, when it happens due to changes. They can address it faster than anyone else.

You again spend all these words explaining the point of view of the company. I'm trying to talk about the point of view of consumers.

If freedom is limited buy the product that works for you.

It should be apples decision on cross platform compatibility and the consumers decision to purchase.

Yep I have a problem with that. And there is always the “law of unintended side effects”.

Governments should stay out of dictating requirements to for profit consumer oriented companies that produce discretionary products. (Unless it’s safety or health related)

And what exactly is the problem, can anyone just explain that? I'm not asking about poor Apple and their margins. I'm not looking at this as a share holder.