I made a similar thread not long ago but since then, more new problems have come to light and I think the larger company-wide issue is worth discussing. First, Paul already kind of covered this in early November, check out his article “Apple Admits to Hardware Quality Problems with iPhone X, MacBook Pro” . One thing about the iPad Pro bending issue that most don’t realize is that this is not just a cosmetic issue. Bendy iPhone 6’s resulted in a very serious issue known as ‘touch disease’, which could happen again with these new bendy iPad Pro’s. Next, on the weekend a popular tech YouTuber Unbox Therapy posted a video showing his 2018 MacBook Air also has the keyboard problem, so despite Apple’s attempt to fix this with the silicon cover, this keyboard design is still very flawed. Now today, I just saw The Verge post about a new issue with MacBook Pro’s, “Flexgate”. There’s a pattern here, Apple’s hardware quality has taken a nose dive in recent years. The question is why? Did they lay off some of their hardware testers, just like how Microsoft fired their dedicated software testers? I don’t think there’s been any management changes at Apple that would explain all these hardware quality problems, I would love to hear what others think because this is turning into quite a story. It reminds me of Mercedes quality/reliability decline in the early 2000’s (Mercedes eventually turned it around)
provision l-3
<blockquote><em><a href="#398778">In reply to lvthunder:</a></em></blockquote><p>Right? But data takes all the fun out of making wacky claims. </p>
provision l-3
<blockquote><em><a href="#398860">In reply to BigM72:</a></em></blockquote><p>Putting aside Six Sigma is kinda contrived corporate bs. That isn't a proper application of it to manufacturing. Six Sigma would be 99.996% free of defects per opportunity. An end device like a Mac or Surface or toaster all have multiple opportunities and your failures are not going to all line up together. So if your screen fails as 0.004% and your CPU fails at 0.004% they not likely going to both happen on the same system so your failure rate for the end product will be higher than simply 0.004%.</p>
jedwards87
<blockquote><em><a href="#399263">In reply to lvthunder:</a></em></blockquote><p>Great answer. People like Warren hate Apple so bad they can't think straight. Their only answer to questions is "You an Apple fanboy…blah blah blah". And I am sure he already knows that with Apple being on top they get the most press good or bad. Look at the horror that is the Pixel 3. Hardware issues galore but nobody really talks about it because nobody buys the crappy phones Google makes.</p>
PeterC
<p>To be really clear. Everyone is having hardware problems. Apple, google, Microsoft, Bose, Samsung oneplus, etc etc. Creating new differentiated hardware products in an age where consumers value the hardware design & functionality means pushing the “manufacturing capability” and our last few decades of tech innovation have really been about mass manufacturing innovation. </p><p><br></p><p>Consumer expectation versus manufacting capability and component reliability – and then you wrap in the software/service testing or lack of it and you have the problems of today. </p><p><br></p><p>We’re not even the end of January and I’ve got Xmas present problems; one Xbox controller and 2 Bose headphone products, and one Apple product going back for repair/replace/refund. </p><p><br></p><p>If if I join the dots on all these differing brands problems it appears to be focussed on the Chinese/asian based mass manufacturing operations. Are they over promising their production capability? Or are the brands asking too much of today’s production line capability? </p><p><br></p><p>The number of indian based manufacturing operations ir rising noticeably now so it will be interesting to see if there’s any differences between the quality of their end product. We will see this with Apple soon. </p><p><br></p><p>I really hope Microsoft’s new hardware reboot this year does not fall into the same trap many brands appear to be, you know the type of thing, unfinished software on glitchy leading edge hardware…… I’m not overly confident given my past surface problems but I do wish them well in their attempts, but this time I’m not going to be an early adopter. </p><p><br></p>
PeterC
<blockquote><em><a href="#398914">In reply to Winner:</a></em></blockquote><p>Hi Winner – Its no cop out, Im just seeing Cheapening going on everywhere. Bose are a prime example, as are apple, google, Microsoft… the list of brands and goods is endless. They're all at it, your just focussing on apple, im just disappointed with ALL of them. Its not just apple people are turning away from. Take a look around.</p>
PeterC
<blockquote><em><a href="#398919">In reply to ghostrider:</a></em></blockquote><p>Hi ghostrider. As ive just commented to Winner, premium brands manufactured goods are dissapointing everywhere I look – apple are by no means on their own with regards faulty manufactured goods. I don't forgive any of them, I just stop buying from them. </p><p><br></p><p>The Chinese brands such as Huawei and Honor are just as bad, but they just replace your device straight away, they have the scaleability to just do that, so tend to just go under anyones radar. One Plus dont have the same scalability and hence have been dogged by customer service issues over the years, but its improving for them. All 3 of the OnePlus handsets Ive bought over the years have had problems and 2 had to be replaced. </p><p><br></p><p>Poor tech manufacture is everywhere! and we keep paying for it.</p>
PeterC
<blockquote><em><a href="#399126">In reply to ghostrider:</a></em></blockquote><p>>>>>> You do get the feeling that manufacturers expect consumers to take and accept whatever they put out these days</p><p><br></p><p>Thats the problem, right there. </p>
PeterC
<blockquote><em><a href="#399070">In reply to Waethorn:</a></em></blockquote><p>exactly</p>
provision l-3
<blockquote><em><a href="#401691">In reply to paul-thurrott:</a></em></blockquote><p>Actually, the plural of anecdote still isn't data. Thinking that it is would likely be Confirmation Bias. </p>
provision l-3
<blockquote><em><a href="#401898">In reply to rob_segal:</a></em></blockquote><p>You are more or less making the same argument as Stonejack. You are taking an individual(s) having issues and drawing a larger conclusion. The fact is that neither you nor Stonejack have a large enough data set to make an evidence back claim.</p>
provision l-3
<blockquote><em><a href="#402907">In reply to paulc543:</a></em></blockquote><p>"Hmmm, could the truth be somewhere in between the extremes?"</p><p>I'm not sure if you meant this as a serious suggestion or not but on the off chance you did, this is a middle ground fallacy. </p><p><br></p><p>Anyway. I mostly agree with the first part of what you said and it really isn't unique to this situation. People tend to see anecdote as substation for data and the person with the with more anecdotal data wins or something like that. People try to obfuscate that they don't have data with meaningless statements like "widespread reports". The reality is neither side has meaningful data. </p><p><br></p><p>I disagree with your conclusion and it doesn't really seem to follow from the issue as it is very specific. The solution is to get data or acknowledge that you don't actually know. Seems simple enough. I mean it isn't like there are organizations out there that do get a large enough sample size to provide meaningful data (Consumer Reports for example). </p><p><br></p><p>But I guess the problem for either side is that going and looking for data runs the risk of proving your firmly held belief is wrong. Ohhh the funky horror. </p>
skane2600
<blockquote><em><a href="#413971">In reply to Vladimir:</a></em></blockquote><p>What major macOS applications are unavailable on Windows? </p>