My old running buddy David Rossiter posed an interesting question in TidBITS Talk earlier this week. I had commented in TidBITS that most TidBITS readers probably use iPhones, but David says he uses a Mac mainly because it’s a supported Unix platform, but he’s too cheap to use an iPhone or an Apple Watch. He asks:
Am I one of the few loyal TidBITSers that is not completely in the Apple ecosystem?
I’m certainly aware that many readers venture outside the Apple ecosystem for certain devices, but I’ve always assumed that most people would opt for Apple’s device in any given category. TidBITS does focus on Apple, after all, and Apple works hard to provide an integrated experience for those who go all-in on Apple. That integration disappears if you use a Mac along with a Samsung Galaxy phone and an Amazon Echo smart speaker.
Let’s put my assumption to the test! Or rather, to the poll. This week’s Do You Use It? poll asks, “How invested in the Apple ecosystem are you?” Many people will have multiple devices in some categories—I’m interested in your primary device. If there’s a distinction between home and work, respond with the device that you chose for yourself. If you answer Other for any of the questions, please describe what you use in the comments.
Is somebody who does stream video but directly to a Mac where it is also viewed (no TV, no Roku, etc.), somebody who “doesn’t stream” or somebody with “other streaming device”?
There is no option for multiple devices used with roughly equal frequency. I have AirPods Pro 2 and a Bose over-the-ear headphones which I purchased when it was heavily discounted. The Bose has far better noise cancellation than the AirPods but the latter are more convenient. The APP pass the fit test.
Otherwise, I am completely in the Apple ecosystem
and not likely to stray. Apple products tend to have much better build quality even if they have other shortcomings. Even more important, I refuse to be the product for other ad-based companies.
Decades back I used VMS, Ultrix, SunOS, Solaris for work alongside Macs. Later I used Windows as needed alongside Macs. Call Apple Mac my digital hub, just like Steve Jobs said in 2001. I’ve gotten other devices over time as adjuncts.
except, unfortunately, mine has a crack in the crystal.
If you look closely you’ll see that this is no ordinary calculator watch. It is a scientific calculator: trigonometry, logarithms, exponents/roots, metric conversions, and more. It does scientific notation. Multiple memories. And more.
It only cost me $50 in 1983. They’re selling for a lot more than that on eBay.
I frequently get comments from people when I wear it. Because, Apple Watches are not uncommon, but shiny calculator watches are rare.
I put “Other” for computer, because I have a Mac Mini I use about 60% of the time, plus an LG Gram I use about 38-39% of the time AND a Raspberry Pi (or two, actually) that I use the rest of the time, mostly just to tinker with, but my browser is set up the same across all platforms (Firefox) and even my Pis do a good job with Youtube videos.
Awesome! For many years in my working life I used a simpler Casio variation, Data Bank it might have been called. Had a smooth, flat keyboard (no raised buttons) that was, to me, surprisingly effective.Simply a fingernail point would do it.
I’m only partially connected to the Apple ecosystem these days — a 2024 M3 MacBook Air and a 2022 iPhone SE, both refurbished. I was an iPad owner & user for over a decade, but sold my old iPad Mini 4 a few years ago.
I’ve looked at some of Apple’s other offerings, but I just don’t feel the need for any of them. I bought a cheap Casio F-91W wristwatch a few years ago, and a Omron step counter last year, and I now have a Pure Elan Connect+ Internet/DAB/FM/Bluetooth radio on my bedside cabinet — those are the only other gadgets I own now.
The one thing I might consider at some point in the future would be a refurbished & upgraded iPod Classic to carry music around with me. I had two iPods back in the 2000s and loved them for their simplicity and ease of use. I’ve kept a local music library, but at the moment it’s just on the MacBook Air.
I tried Apple Music several years ago after getting fed up with Spotify’s Mac app — it was okay, but I soon found that its song-matching and synching were very hit-and-miss, so much so that I ended up having to rebuild my music library once I’d transferred it to Swinsian. (Incidentally, I consider Swinsian a spiritual successor to the old iTunes, turned up to 11!) That experience has made me reconsider relying on any Apple services, including iCloud — aside from one or two app subscriptions and occasional app purchases, that’s my only interaction with that side now.
I don’t know if I’ll buy any more Apple hardware in the future, and will seriously consider other options when the time comes.
I’d have also put iCloud services subscription if that was in the survey.
For the smart speaker category I put other, as we use Sonos speakers, almost exclusively playing Apple Music playlists of our own music, though sometimes using AirPlay from our devices, and one Sonos Amp plays sound from the Apple TV attached to it.
I keep MacOS current even if on older 2020 Mac’s.
I keep ipadOS current with latest iPad mini and older iPad Pro.
I avoid Bluetooth headsets hence, I have the last phone with a mini jack and an Apple Watch 3 to go with it.
I avoid the rest of Apple’s overpriced social engineering products.
I also use Linux, Raspberry Pi’s, Fire HD, a LightPhone. I’d dump my iPhone (vending machine in my pocket) if I could sync my watch to my iPad and probably get a much newer Apple Watch.
Computers - all Apple except for a Windows laptop only for QuickBooks (trying to install a VM right now)
Headphones - I use Apple Wired EarPods, not AirPods
Display - laptop, Apple Cinema Display and a Dell
Stream from a computer typically but have used the Vizio
No watch, I use a Garmin Edge for tracking bike miles. The Fitness app is STILL miserably inaccurate
I do have BT and wifi speakers but have no desire for a smart speaker. The BT ones are attached to an iMac in the office for streaming off an old version of iTunes. The wifi speaker is for the deck (to the iMac) since BT can’t handle exiting the house despite being within range. A very imperfect system quite honestly
I’m truly Apple based:
Computers: 27 in iMac and older MacBookAir that I almost never use
Tablets: iPad Mini and 11 inch iPad Air
Phone: iPhone 15
Watch: Apple Watch series 9
TV Apple TV connected to my older tv which isn’t a smart tv
Email: both macMail and yahoo mail and occasionally gmail
Backup: iCloud for iOS devices, Backblaze and iDrive for computers
Earbuds: I have both the old wired ones and the wireless ones from Apple but I rarely use either.
iTunes Match (I still subscribe to this.)
I’m pretty much Apple to the core, though I haven’t jumped on AirPods nor VR headsets. The exception is my display; Apple displays are tad pricey these days. I bought a USB-C equipped Philips Ultrawide display that has become the heart of my home workstation with the MacBook on a stand alongside.
The keyboard, mouse, and backup drives all attach to the monitor, and when I plug it in to the laptop the monitor charges the MacBook. All I have to do is remember to unmount my Time Machine drive before pulling the single USB-C out of the Mac when I go on the road.
No support in the poll for owning multiple items (Apple and non-Apple), nor for what Apple (or non-Apple) services you use. I have quite a few Macs and several iPads (of various sizes and generations).
I’m pretty much all Apple since 1989, but I do have a few non-Apple gadgets that I never or rarely use (i.e. a cheap Chome tablet, lots of Kindles). I used to like to experiment with other hardware, but now I can run other OSes via emulation so that’s not really necessary.
So flip a coin or roll a die. This isn’t a record of your inventory. The purpose is to obtain a rough estimate of Apple’s penetration in each sphere and gather some statistics on cross-ownership.
Apple’s projection in “as a service by subscription in perpetuity” is likely my gripe.
I have a Mac Studio, iPhone, Apple Watch, Timecapsule (soon to be replaced with Synology NAS), Homepods (paired for stereo and Siri integration into house lighting, iTunes) and AppleTV. And an old iPad Air that’s just for weather and news.
My primary home computer is the Mac Studio. I do use a MacbookPro for work, and WFH. But I mostly use a PC at work, and for gaming, have a Win11 PC I built. Lastly, I have an Android phone as I would like to move off most of my dependence on Apple’s Ecosystem. It will be tedious to get new apps to duplicate iOS apps, along with converting much of my music that I sync and play on Carplay (another Ecosystem of Apple).
I use ISOtune ear protection, Sony earbuds and Sony Headphones (all bluetooth). All paired to iOS.
I also have a RaspPi (pihole) and plan on getting a used Dell to convert to a linux box to manage my home NAS (future).
If I had to give a percentage, its 80% Apple and 20% Windows/other.
