Apple has definitely brought forth a lot of innovation to the world.

They popularized the smartphone, they released a stable and well built operating system to the masses, and they make surprisingly good hardware.

But, I will likely never use an Apple device.

A Closed Ecosystem

First and foremost, and probably what I dislike most about Apple is their ecosystem.

They have a closed ecosystem of devices. Want to use iOS? You need to buy an iPhone. Want to use macOS? Better cough up the money for a Mac.

As someone who likes to have options, using Apple devices is definitely not something that lines up with the way I want to use technology.

Being locked down to only using Apple devices for iOS/macOS/iPadOS is definitely a no go for me.

Right to repair, or lack thereof

Apple is notorious for making it extremely difficult to repair your own devices.

Need to replace your iPhone's screen? Good luck with that.

Need to upgrade your computer's memory? Possible, but still difficult, especially with the new M-series devices.

Even Apple's recent response to people demanding the ability to repair your own devices is poorly executed and offered in a way that makes it nearly not worth the trouble.

You need to rent the repair tools, purchase the part for repair, and then repair it all within seven days from the day they ship the bundle out to you. If you don't return it within the seven days, you will be charged overage fees.

Tech outlets have done the math and found that doing the repairs yourself is not that much cheaper than just taking it to an Apple store.

Yes, Apple did give you the ability to fix some parts of your devices. But, it was not in the way that people wanted.

Lack of customization

On the hardware side of things, especially with the new M1/M2 MacBook's, Mac Mini's, and Mac Studio's, it is nearly impossible to customize them.

You cannot easily upgrade these devices. Better yet, taking a look at the 13in M1 and M2 MacBook Pro's, they have the same chassis, yet, you are unable to swap an M2 board into an M1 MacBook Pro.

Companies like Framework allow fully upgradable laptops with parts that fit in the same chassis. So, why can't Apple allow it?

Lack of control

Lastly, another one of my major gripes with Apple is the lack of control you have using their devices.

The operating systems provided are limited and standardized. To some, this is amazing. But for me, this is just smothering.

Not being able to install a minimalist launcher on an iPhone, or install applications from another app store without jail breaking, is just wrong and monopolistic.

Oh! Since I also mentioned the app store... the fees they charge developers for a platform they are forced to use is just... outrageous!

But it is not all bad

The Apple ecosystem has been something I have despised since I was young. Though, it is not all bad.

The switch to ARM processors that Apple recently did with the M1 Mac's was a much needed transition for computers. It proved to the world that you can switch to ARM and not rely on the x86 architecture anymore.

Of course there are growing pains, but M1 and M2 Mac's are amazing and efficient machines.

Having a closed ecosystem can help with making sure everything works together. Your iOS/iPadOS/macOS applications will almost always work on your Apple device, as Apple has a strict development guideline for App developers.

If an application is released for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, you can bet that it will work correctly on your Mac, iPhone, or iPad.

The same cannot be said about Windows computers and Android devices.

Personally, I do not see myself using an Apple device anytime soon. However, I am still young, and who knows where my life will end up!

Maybe one day I will finally decide to give Apple a try?