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I can't take it anymore.

Channel: Theo - t3․gg Published: 2026-03-11 07:06
Theo - t3․gg

Theo argues that Apple has become sloppy in software quality, heavy-handed in policy, and increasingly blind to both user pain and external progress. He says he remains on Apple hardware mainly because it is still the best fit for his creative workflow, not because he likes the direction the company is heading.

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Detailed summary

This is a long, highly emotional anti-Apple rant framed as a personal “crash out,” but it has a clear core thesis: Apple’s products and policies are degrading, and the company is now ignoring the right feedback while listening to the wrong people. Theo says he still uses Apple devices heavily and even likes parts of the ecosystem, but his patience is collapsing because the software feels unstable, the policy choices feel exploitative, and the company appears blind to how far competitors have come. On software, he focuses first on macOS 26 / iOS 26 and says the new design language is inconsistent and frustrating. …

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Main takeaways

  1. Apple’s software quality is presented as visibly regressing, especially in iOS 26/macOS 26.
  2. Theo sees Apple’s product decisions as less user-centered and more driven by internal process and crowd reaction.
  3. He believes the App Store fee structure is structurally exploitative, especially for creators and indie developers.
  4. Apple’s closed culture is portrayed as a talent drain because it discourages public ownership and honest feedback.
  5. Despite his anger, he still thinks Apple hardware remains the best practical option for his creative workflow.
  6. He views AI and third-party developer tools as an area where Apple is clearly being outclassed.

Market read by horizon

Short term

Tactically, this is a negative Apple sentiment setup: the immediate risk is continued UX pain and more viral complaints around iOS/macOS bugs, which can keep sentiment under pressure. Apple needs visible fixes fast or the short-term narrative stays defensive.

  • The immediate focus is the visible breakage and UX friction in iOS 26/macOS 26, which he treats as current, not theoretical.
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  • The most actionable near-term catalysts are continued user complaints, bug reports, and any response from Apple on Photos, autocorrect, AirDrop, and window-resizing issues.
  • He frames Apple Pay, contacts sync, and AirDrop as everyday pain points that can push power users toward workarounds or third-party tools now.
Mid term

Over the next few months, the likely path is that Apple keeps its hardware advantage but loses more goodwill if software polish and developer relations do not improve. The view changes only if Apple ships meaningful bug fixes and reduces friction in the core flows he highlighted.

  • Over the next several weeks or months, his base case is that Apple remains the best hardware platform for his work but keeps losing software goodwill.
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  • The setup improves only if Apple visibly fixes core UX and stability issues, or if third-party alternatives make switching meaningfully easier.
  • He expects Apple’s ecosystem lock-in to weaken for users whose needs are not tightly tied to Final Cut, mobile capture, or battery life.
Long term

Structurally, the thesis is that Apple’s moat is no longer automatic: hardware integration still matters, but software leadership, AI credibility, and developer trust are eroding. If that continues, Apple becomes less of a taste-setting platform and more of a premium hardware vendor competing on narrower strengths.

  • Structurally, he argues Apple’s moat used to come from superior execution, but that advantage is eroding.
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  • He sees a regime shift where the company is no longer the obvious leader in software taste, developer friendliness, or AI.
  • His long-term thesis is that if Apple keeps acting entitled and insular, it will become just one hardware vendor among stronger software ecosystems.
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Key claims (12)

39:00
BEARISH AAPL

Apple's 30% app store commission on digital transactions is an unfair entitlement that damages the ecosystem.

Speaker argues Apple feels entitled to developers' and users' money via the 30% commission on digital goods and services.

40:40
BEARISH AAPL

Apple is forcing Patreon to use its in-app purchase system with a 30% cut or face App Store removal by November 1st.

Speaker states Apple has threatened Patreon with App Store ban unless Patreon adopts Apple's payment system and 30% fee by a November 1st deadline.

48:50
BEARISH Tech competition AAPL

Apple is not acknowledging that competitors are making significantly better software and AI experiences, and this will cause Apple to fail.

The speaker argues Apple's internal culture ignores external advances in software quality and AI.

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Assets discussed (2)

Apple — AAPL
BEARISH stock

He criticizes the company’s software quality, developer policy, and ecosystem direction, while still acknowledging its hardware strengths.

iPhone
MIXED other

He says it is still necessary for his work, but the experience is getting worse with Photos, typing, AirDrop, and Apple Pay changes.

Where this transcript pushes against consensus

  • The rant is emotionally strong but often relies on anecdotal evidence rather than systematic measurement.
  • Several claims about universal user pain—Mail search, AirDrop, hotspot, Apple Pay—sound overstated and may not generalize.
  • The App Store fee critique is directionally coherent, but he slides between creator subscriptions, digital goods, and platform costs without clean separations.
  • His comparisons of Apple, Android, and Linux are grounded in his professional workflow, but he often presents niche production constraints as broader market truths.
  • Some bug-cost estimates from external sites are invoked approvingly without independent validation.
  • He repeatedly invokes Steve Jobs as a counterfactual standard, but that is rhetorical rather than evidence that current leadership is uniquely failing.

Topics

apple software qualityiOS 26 / macOS 26Photos app UXApp Store feesdeveloper cultureAirDrop reliabilityApple Pay UXApple Intelligence / Siri AIXcode vs VS CodeApple hardware vs Android/Linux

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