Apple is pretty well known for helping its customers even after the warranty period is up, from everything I've seen. Certainly not always, but enough so that they get more good press for it than most companies.
So, even if they are as evil and plotting as you claim, they seem to be confused on how to be efficient and effective in implementing their evil plan.
Nothing in your sources indicate there's intention in Apple driving folks towards these repairs. Geniuses don't work on commission, they have zero incentive to tell people to fix things they dont need to. I think this is a Hanlon's razor situation where you're assuming Apple is malicious when really it's just lack of knowledge on behalf of some Geniuses.
So, if only Apple didn't tie the ability to repair and extend the device you purchased from them to the security of your own data, you would be able to feel a more consistent emotion with regards to interest in a fix; that seems all on Apple being a bit evil :/.
Yeah I believe the strategy is to make consumers think they should "just buy a new one".
Apple is also putting up a very poor "training" program (Independent Repair Program) so that it looks like they're entertaining "right to repair" while they ensure the program is not adequate enough for people taking the course to handle even the most basic repairs.
Apple also locks it all up in tight NDAs so that they can't discuss this publicly.
Strategic perhaps, but is it malicious? Apple sells OEM parts directly to the user. They let you rent and even buy equipment used in their own stores. At this point it's no different than repairing a laptop.
I can't help but think that it's a trap and there's some poison pill or work around in the mix. Apple cannot be trusted in terms of anything resembling support of right to repair and has actively worked to subvert every effort at every angle.
This has been going on with Apple for as far as I can remember. Apple puts out a new product, a significant number of people are affected by what seems to be a manufacturing defect, Apple suppresses mentions of it as much as they can, and a year or two later, they offer some kind of a remedy (usually free repairs) to whoever didn't rage sell or return their defective product. And because their machines are barely repairable, users can rarely fix the issue themselves.
This seems to work well for them, people keep clamouring for more overpriced apple hardware and are happy to run on Apple 's treadmill to buy the new iteration every year or two, while running the risk of getting a lemon yet again. So I'm guessing that's a valid strategic decision for Apple and that's why it continues unabated.
Look into _why_ they're doing it. Right to repair laws are being passed in countries, especially the EU. Cynically, Apple could want to get ahead now for the PR win, that they didn't need to, while all these years they have dragged their feet.
You are saying that the "why" of Apple doing these things is purely "user hostility", which is highly implausible.
A company does not make decisions based on a pure "will to be evil".
They probably think that the reputation hit from not allowing repair is less damaging than the reputation hit from users dissatisfied with repairs. Other design choices can be for cost cutting in design or production.
So sure, it is not nice for the user, but the reason is not a desire to spite users. They likely simply think the additional costs, tangible and intangible, of being repair-friendly are not worth it.
Apple used to be smart enough to understand that most voidable actions weren't the root cause of problems with their devices. It wasn't long ago that you could even disassemble your Powerbook and not void the warranty unless you really cocked something up. Now they're coming up with any excuse imaginable to void your warranty. This goes hand in hand with Apple steering away from their traditional intelligent consumer and going after the overprivileged teenager market.
Apple was for a long time known here in Norway to refuse to follow the consumer protection laws, so they were the worst of the bunch. So bad that lots of big retailers stopped selling Apple products for years, because the retailers had to take the costs when Apple refused.
It's better now, but not better than others or even worth mentioning. If anything, I feel people now are familiar with Apples help because their stuff keep breaking. Like the prev gen MBP I had was a mess, only computer I've ever had to repair. And even multiple times.
In Norway (and most of EU I guess?) there's laws that goes beyond warranty. So for the first half year, they really have to prove you did something out of the ordinary to break your product. Apple is notorious for saying some sensor is triggered and therefore you misused the phone. But those sensors can triggered from using the phone in normal winter conditions..
(And then for the next 4.5 years the burden of proof isn't that strong, but they still have to fix or replace broken devices, not however long a producer's warranty claims)
Although they are absolutely right, it should also be said that Apple is far from unique. Many electronics shops and manufactures have warranty policies and try to sell extra warranty whilst EU consumer laws already mandate minimal warranty standards. As a consumer you almost always have to explicitly assert your rights or you'll get screwed.
Apple has just made itself a high profile target with it's AppleCare Protection Plan, and it doesn't help that Apple is being systematically uncooperative when consumers claim their warranty rights.
I mean they even have tool kits that you can rent that come with everything to make the repair (since some tools are very custom like the battery or display press). That doesn't seem very bad-faith of them. Not sure why anyone expected them to release parts and repair guides for every device in the span of five months. They also have to get the logistics sorted out to enable people to order individual parts. These devices were released before the program was announced, so it is not surprising that they may be hard to repair or have limited self-repairable parts when they weren't designed with that in mind. Apple certainly does have an incentive to keep them difficult to repair, so I'm not saying that will change - but they haven't gotten a chance yet.
Apple swindles and manipulates the user to buying a new device whenever there is any fault at all because everything is glued and soldered together so fixing anything requires buying half of the device.
Don't be ridiculous, people sit around and talk about how to maximize profits. That is the MO of a company. Engineers are not excluded from this, and a great many companies have destroyed themselves by making products which have no calculable lifespan. Shitty disposables make companies more money. Really expensive disposables even more. There doesn't have to be a grand conspiracy, it's just the only way to successfully do business. Personal computers very conveniently went obsolete all by themselves for decades. Now Apple has to push software updates which reduce battery life in order to convince you that there is any reason at all to get a new phone. Those updates have gotten a lot less optional, and the "improvements" a lot more marginal.
It's a philosophy that is reflected at apple through just about every corporate decision they have made. The inability to make incremental upgrades to any apple product, or perform repairs without it being a part of the apple business model. Or Air pods, which are basically an off season april fools joke.
The MagSafe adapter has itself gone through iterations which make them less backwards compatible and less functional. A major problem for power cables is that force at the joint between the rigid connector and flexible wire is prone to failure.
The original magsafe adapter solved this problem [1]. a small amount of force at the problem area provided sufficient leverage to disconnect the power. This ensured that it was hard to use the power cord in such a way that promoted early failure, and gave the user the option of two orientations, potentially lessening the stress to the affected joint. They phased this design out for the much less sleek looking bulky orthogonal connector, which stays firmly locked in place through all sorts of damaging configurations, while providing no other justification for the "design" choice.
That this product was particularly prone to failure is made evident in the class action settlement, although you may read this as you like. https://www.adaptersettlement.com/
So before you accuse me of being a conspiracy theorist for proposing that computer companies sometimes break your property for profit, You might actually want to read about what the courts are saying, although the case in regards to the deceptive trade practices when rolling out iOS 9 on older phones is still unsettled, the facts very much are settled, and only the courts and the defense lag.
You are correct that its easy to mis-apply broad sweeping statements based on individual complaints, however, Apple's extended warranty program generates billions of dollars and the Apple repair market is also worth hundreds of millions (sorry don't have a handy link, this is just waht I remember the last time I looked. Should be easy enough to Google). Its clear that like any other product Apple products too fail, and its also clear that the customers understand that Apple products fail.
Nope, it's still very, very sinister. If a repair shop does something so incompetent that they cause a battery explosion (extremely unlikely, but let's go with it), then the repair shop will be held accountable, not Apple.
Apple's worst case is that they'll have to push back on bad news reporting. That's not a huge burden.
The reason Apple does this is solely because they make a ton of money doing this. Apple stance here is harmful to literally everyone else, whether they use Apple products or not.
Apple is being a straight-up villain on this issue.
Repairs are such a small dent in Apple finances that thinking they engineer their replacement programs for profit is simply silly. I have heard that point many times. They engineer them to maximize the process efficiency, and there’s always leeway. The real story here is this: Apple wants to control the product completely, and that includes getting rid of long terms loyal partners such Apple Authorized shops. They are all pretty disgruntled and disenchanted by the company for that. Zealots turned haters are usually the meanest haters.
So, even if they are as evil and plotting as you claim, they seem to be confused on how to be efficient and effective in implementing their evil plan.
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