So AirPods Max will get new audio features. The fact that only the USB-C model will support this is utterly frustrating, and I wish someone will sue Apple for that. Reason? When Apple launched the USB-C model last year, I don’t recall them saying there were upcoming features that wouldn’t apply to the Lightning port model. It looked like the only difference was the charging port. It appears that’s not the case, or Apple is trying to limit the features artificially to the new model.

Today, I’ve been to an Apple Store in Ottawa, Canada. My daughter in law bought a M4 MacBook Air. I even forgot to check the new blue Air! I wasn’t expecting this: I’m no longer excited to go visit an Apple Store. Times are changing.

Questioning Apple Intelligence Improvements

Here is an observation about Apple Intelligence (yet another one you might say?): Image Playground was announced at WWDC2024. It finally made its debut with iOS 18.2, in December 2024. Since then, we got iOS 18.3, now iOS 18.4 is in beta. Did Image Playground improved? A new image style was introduced, in 18.3, I think. Does it provide better results? Not really. Is it easier to use? Nope. On this subject, I must confess that I personally find Image Playground not to be the best UX Apple ever created. I find it clunky and not always intuitive to use. After two releases, Image Playground is basically the same. Isn’t it surprising, coming from a company who’s playing catch up in AI space? The same questions could apply to Writing Tools. I didn’t test text proofing with each release of Apple Intelligence, but I would bet that it didn’t really improve. Strange.

Om Malik on Apple in today’s world:

Apple has become a complex entity that can’t seem to ever have enough resources to provide the real Apple experience. What you get is “good enough.” And most of the time, I think it is enough – because what others have on the market is worse.

Much worse.

Gruber:

“Tim Cook should have already held a meeting like that to address and rectify this Siri and Apple Intelligence debacle.”

We may not know for sure whether such a meeting will occur or has already occurred. I believe it won’t happen for one simple reason: Tim Cook is not focused on products.

Remember when many tech pundits (and ordinary users, too) were saying that Apple wasn’t really good at services? How about this updated version: Apple isn’t really good at AI.

Tim Has to Go - Part Deux

I’ve been an Apple fan since 1983, and everyone I know—my friends, colleagues, and family—understands my enthusiasm for the brand. Recently, they’ve been calling me more than ever to ask about my thoughts on Tim Cook’s support for Trump. “Apple is becoming like the others; what do you think?” they all inquire. I struggle to express my sadness about this situation. Tim’s poor judgment in supporting the Trump presidency is disappointing. I hope he regrets his decision. Until then, I want him to step down. It’s as simple as that.