7 Things Apple Has Gotten Away with Because It’s Apple
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As we all know, Apple is one of the biggest tech companies in the world. Thanks to a combination of great products and great marketing campaigns, the Cupertino company has become one of the few multi-trillion-dollar companies out there.
Of course, just like every other company, Apple sometimes makes some questionable decisions. The biggest difference, though, is that, unlike other companies, Apple tends to get away with a lot of things.
Not only that but sometimes, it even becomes the new standard for tech companies to follow. You don't believe us? Read on for 7 things Apple has done and gotten away with.
Ditching the Headphone Jack
This was one of the biggest changes that Apple made to the iPhone. Back in 2016, people were expecting the iPhone 7, but we didn't think for a second that Apple would get rid of the headphone jack for good.
This move was controversial, to say the least. Many people and companies criticized and even made fun of Apple for making this drastic change. A great example is Samsung, which even made ads mocking Apple for removing the headphone jack.
But what happened next? Well, Apple not only got away with it but also made a lot of money from this change, thanks to people buying the new AirPods at the time. It was such a great move financially that Apple became the number one wireless headphone company in the world.
And with that, Apple created a new trend that many tech companies eventually followed — even Samsung. In fact, not only did Samsung copy Apple's move, but it even started deleting the ads mocking Apple for the lack of a headphone jack.
Taking so Long to Add a USB-C Port to the iPhone
It took Apple quite some time to start using USB-C on its devices, but it took the company even longer to add a USB-C port to the iPhone. The first smartphone with a USB-C port was introduced in 2015, but it took Apple almost ten years to make the same switch.
During that time, Apple adopted USB-C for its MacBooks and even many of its iPad models. It wasn't until 2023 that Apple finally bit the bullet and removed the Lightning port from the iPhone.
Of course, this wasn't because of Apple's good intentions. It was because of new EU regulations that basically forced the company to switch ports.
Still, a win is a win, even if it took almost a decade.
Removing the Charger From the Box
Another big change that made the news a few years back was when Apple decided to stop sending out chargers with the new iPhones.
The reason? Apple said that this was part of the company's commitment to becoming 100% carbon neutral. Giving a smaller box and forcing people to use the same charger instead of switching it for no reason means less waste, which is always great.
But you know what would have made the iPhone more environmentally friendly? Using USB-C across all devices. In fact, the real reason is probably money. Apple can make more money selling power adapters separately.
This move was also controversial, but tech companies learned that following Apple can make money, too. This is why many companies, like Samsung, have decided to stop providing chargers and earphones for their premium products, too.
Selling Ridiculously Expensive Accessories
Apple's accessories can not only be pricey, but downright silly sometimes. We're not talking about those products that you can't find elsewhere, like a MagSafe charging cable for your new MacBook.
Instead, we're talking about a $19 polishing cloth and $400 wheels for your already expensive Mac. It seems like Apple goes out of its way to make these products so expensive.
And while there are people talking about it, making fun of Apple, and the people who like its products, in the end, Apple gets away with it. The company is still selling these accessories, and they still have a pretty unbelievable price.
As many people have pointed out, this is more than just making a luxury item. Instead, it just shows who Apple's loyal — and rich —customers really are.
Not Using 120Hz Displays on All iPhones
Refresh rates have become a popular topic in the smartphone world. Now, it's expected that most smartphones will have a high refresh rate— at least higher than 60Hz. Of course, every smartphone except for the iPhone will have a high refresh rate.
Apple has made it very clear that 120Hz is exclusive to its Pro models. You can only find 120Hz displays on products like the iPad Pro or the iPhone Pro, which, of course, cost at least a couple of hundred dollars more than their base models.
To be fair, most casual users won't even know or care about a higher refresh rate. As long as the display looks good, having smoother animation doesn't matter as much. Most people won't notice unless they compare two smartphones side by side.
Still, it's crazy to think that there are smartphones that are half the price of the iPhone and still have a higher refresh rate.
Selling the Same iPhone With a New Chip
Of course, we're not talking about every year's new iPhone. After all, all tech companies get away with providing the same smartphone with a few minor changes every year.
Instead, we're talking about the iPhone SE. While it's great that Apple offers a fast and durable iPhone for a cheaper price, it still looks and feels like an older iPhone.
The current iPhone SE, as well as the previous model, are almost just an iPhone 8 with the chip of an iPhone 13. Sure, this is great for people who like smaller phones, but can you imagine what everyone would say if a company like Google or Samsung used the body of a phone that came out seven years ago with a new chip and a higher price tag?
People probably wouldn't be as kind as iPhone fans.
8GB of RAM in 2024
Apple always boasts about how powerful the new Mac is. The M-series chips are becoming stronger and are taking Macs to a new level.
But it doesn't matter how powerful the M-series chip is if your Mac only has 8GB of RAM. Besides the high-end Pro Macs, the base model of most Macs comes with only 8GB of unified memory, also known as RAM.
While that might be good if you're a casual user, people who like to multitask or do anything remotely demanding will struggle with just 8GB. Even Apple suggests that your Mac should have at least 16GB of RAM in order to use Final Cut Pro, which is an app designed by Apple for Apple products.
Of course, there are still countless laptops that offer 8GB of RAM, but most of them are way cheaper than a $1,000 MacBook. The truth is that 16GB should be the minimum in today's day and age.
Maybe that will happen eventually. Until then, though, we'll have to spend just a little bit more money to get the RAM we deserve.
Apple's Creating New Trends
There's no doubt that Apple has made many good decisions that have made it the company we know today. But we can't deny that the company has made some pretty dubious decisions. Of course, you don't get to be a trillion-dollar company without focusing on profits.
Of course, sometimes, good things come from these decisions. After all, we wouldn't have such great wireless headphones if it weren't for Apple's decision to ditch the headphone jack.
But whether you like these changes or not, we can all agree that if another tech company were making these changes, people would probably not be as tolerant as they are with Apple.