Originally published at: Apple in 2023: The Six Colors Report Card - TidBITS
Jason Snell of Six Colors has released his ninth annual Apple report card, featuring ratings and quotes from a select group of Apple commentators, including many from TidBITS.
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I was impressed by Christina Warren. Every single quote of hers in that report I would sign right away.
And along those lines, kudos to TidBITS’ own @mcohen for daring to speak up and say it like it is (and I say that as a a guy who routinely goes to and really likes TX)
Michael E. Cohen wrote: “Speaking as a rather wilted flower child, I see Apple as being more of a force for good than most huge corporations, but hardly perfect. I’m rather alarmed about Apple’s move to close down a San Diego office and move its employees to Texas, given that Texas is a hostile environment for women these days, especially those of child-bearing years.”
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On the basis of what criteria were the devices rated? Did everyone use the same criteria?
Why do you think the iPad is rated so low (and is dropping)?
I have a really nice iPad M1 (2021) 11-inch. But I rarely use it. It’s sitting here next to my nice MBP M1. Sometimes if I go out I’ll take it with me. But rarely. I’ll take it on plane trips. But the last trip I took was almost a year ago.
When I do use it though it seems nice, though I wish it were more “Mac-like” rather than having it’s own OS. Is that the problem? That MacOS and iPadOS are so different? Like maybe an inexpensive MB Air with a touch screen would be better? Like a Windows Surface device that can be removed from the keyboard and used as a tablet?
No, you’re just asked to provide a rating from 1 to 5.
Well, the full article has a lot on that. But this year it’s an easy answer—Apple didn’t release a single new iPad in 2023. Your experience of not having much to do on it is the other big reason. I never turn my iPad on other than install software updates. It does nothing I need better than my Macs.
Kieran Healy contributed a stats-heavy look at the Six Colors Report Card. Looks like I’m right in the middle of the group in generosity to Apple. 
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Once I leave my desk, my iPad Mini is the primary device I use. Since getting it I have little use for a Mac in the evening or on the road. Been waiting for an update, for sure.
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Just to provide a counter factual, I have both a 10.5” and a 12.9” iPads, and my wife has a recent iPad Air and we use all of them, (and our Macs) daily. We haven’t bought new ones because the ones we have work very well, so maybe that’s the reason for low sales in 2023? The machines are just too good, and no new machines introduced…
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