AUTHOR’S NOTE: As this is primarily a technology blog post and not primarily about writing, I have chosen to publish the original version of this blog post at Apollo Corner instead of at Apollo Corner Writing.
I’ve noticed quite a few authors that I follow on Twitter, YouTube, and/or other social media websites using Apple devices extensively. I do market some of my writing and writing-related endeavors to Apple platforms, such as making Lady in the Fast Lane available on Apple Books and making The Heartland Author Podcast available on Apple Podcasts, although neither of those are exclusive to Apple by any means. However, I have never owned an Apple electronic device of any kind.
I do understand that there are people who use Apple devices for one reason or another. I am not criticizing anyone who uses Apple devices. However, there are two main reasons why I don’t use Apple devices.
Reason #1 – They’re too expensive
As a general rule, Apple products are overpriced and/or out of my price range. I’ll use a pair of Apple devices, one of which is a laptop and the other is a tablet marketed as a laptop replacement, and a HP laptop to illustrate this point.
Currently, the base models of both the 12.9″ iPad Pro tablet and the MacBook Air laptop (I’m regarding the 11″ iPad Pro as a separate device from the 12.9″ iPad Pro for the purpose of defining a “base model”), both Apple products, cost $999 before tax and shipping. That price does not include various accessories, which you’ll probably need, and, given Apple’s minimalist philosophy towards including accessories with their devices, will probably end up costing you a lot. Additionally, that price doesn’t include any performance upgrades to the devices themselves, such as faster processors, which add more to the cost. The YouTube channel GregsGadgets compared the 12.9″ iPad Pro and the MacBook Air, and anything I could add would likely be redundant.
At the same $999 price point, however, HP makes an Envy laptop, which runs Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system, and it’s not the base model of the Envy, which is even less expensive. Furthermore, with the Envy, you don’t have to choose between a touchscreen tablet with a keyboard add-on and a laptop without a touchscreen, as the Envy is a true touchscreen laptop with a full 360-degree hinge. While the Envy doesn’t counter every advantage of the iPad Pro or the MacBook Air, it is simply a far better value at a similar price point. While I currently use the HP Stream laptop, which is a reliable low-end laptop, I would recommend the Envy to anyone looking for a laptop costing somewhere in the vicinity of $1,000.
Reason #2 – The Apple ecosystem
YouTube tech guru Marques Brownlee produced a video that is stuck in my mind for one reason in particular. Brownlee described the Apple tech ecosystem as “a walled garden”. Apple has, under the late Steve Jobs’s leadership, developed a large tech ecosystem that is, with some exceptions, not compatible with non-Apple devices and is largely walled off from the rest of the consumer electronics world. Also, Apple’s tech ecosystem is largely, but not totally, complete. Apple products include the iPod media devices, iPhone smartphones, iPad tablets, and Macintosh (Mac) laptop and desktop computers, among others, and Apple has many services that can sync across multiple Apple devices. There are a ton of hooks into the Apple ecosystem, and you’ll probably spend more money than necessary on consumer electronics once you get hooked into the Apple ecosystem.
One notable exception to the completeness of the Apple ecosystem is the fact that Apple no longer makes printers and scanners. Apple used to make printers until the late 1990’s, but they have long since discontinued making their own printers. If one goes to the Printers and Scanners webpage under Mac Accessories on the Apple Website, you’ll find that Apple recommends…you guessed it…HP printers and scanners.
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