Being an Apple fan

I'm an Apple user because I want technology to fade into the background of what I'm doing.

September is Apple month for me. For the last few years, I've been watching the keynotes and I install the new OS updates as soon as they come out. (Most recently the iOS update a couple of weeks ago and the macOS update last week.) And this year was the first time I waited in line for the new iPhone after preordering it online to get it on day one. (It was only a couple of hours on a Friday afternoon since I'm on their upgrade plan and they've really streamlined the process.) So I guess that officially makes me an Apple fanboy.

But it wasn't always the case. I used to be a Microsoft user growing up. I was discovering technology and enjoyed tinkering with it. It was what put me down the path of doing web design work. Years back, I was a heavy Google user as it helped me run my freelancing business and owned an original Droid during the early Android days.

Now I'm an Apple user because I want technology to fade into the background of what I'm doing. Working in the tech industry as an interface designer who also does some development work that may sound strange, but it's how it should be. Technology is really just tools to make us work and live better and the best technology doesn't get in the way.

So even though I geek out with every Apple release and read all about the new features, I then start using the ones that make sense to me and have them become a part of my everyday life. I forget about how cool they are and just depend on them to get the job done.

I'm also a fan of how the company does things. I agree with their stance on privacy which in the tech space of companies collecting all the data they can get, not only makes them unique in their approach but makes them the strongest when it comes to security as well. And of course I agree with their approach on design, which Steve Jobs described so well in a New York Times Magazine interview from 2003:

"Most people make the mistake of thinking design is what it looks like. People think it’s this veneer — that the designers are handed this box and told, 'Make it look good!' That’s not what we think design is. It’s not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works."

Because Apple gets criticized so much and so loudly, it sometimes feels like saying you're an Apple fan requires defending your position. Especially among tech geeks who love to critique new technology all the time. One of which I am by the way. The most critical voices of Apple are often its fans. But ultimately I use their products and services because I think they're really good. And as long as that continues to be true, I'll continue using them.


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