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Apple has to either figure out how to make decent apps or get out of that business entirely. Instead of Safari, bundle Chrome with macOS and work with Google so it integrates into the operating system. Ditch iWork, no one uses it. They would be better off integrating macOS with Microsoft Office. You can get MS Office for the Mac, but if they really synergize it with macOS, it would be even better. They could even bundle a light version with macOS for free.
This problem with the MacBook Pro’s battery life is really a problem with Safari and Apple’s culture. They cannot create decent apps. The problem is so bad now, they are going to lose millions of dollars in MacBook Pro sales, because of their atrocious web browser.
What do they gain by providing Safari to end users? The reality is, a serious Safari bug ended up compromising the integrity, reputation and profitability of their actual product — the MacBook Pro computer. Apple makes profits by selling hardware. They lose money by working on Safari, even if it doesn’t compromise the hardware. Now they are losing a lot of money, thanks to Safari.
Consumer Reports’ Damaged Reputation
Consumer Reports does not emerge from this fiasco unscathed. The non-profit provides reviews, ratings and recommendations on everything from lawnmowers to cars. Some products undergo remarkably thorough testing. Their battery life test for computers, however, is deeply flawed. It really just tested Safari and not the MacBook Pro.
This revelation was lost on the blogosphere, as tech writers failed to mention that Consumer Reports ran the same test using Chrome, with favorable results. At that point, Consumer Reports should have revised their test, but they didn’t. Instead, they chose to tarnish the MacBook Pro by withholding their recommendation.
This isn’t the first time this has happened. When the iPhone 4 came out, Consumer Reports fell for “Antennagate”. Although this flaw was something common to all cell phones, they withheld their recommendation for the iPhone 4. I bought one of them anyway, and I still own it. I simply never experienced a problem with reception, no matter how I held it. I also still have my old Samsung flip phone, which still had a sticker on it, informing me not to hold it near the antenna, as it could attenuate the signal. It’s a problem common to all phones, but I never experienced it with my iPhone 4.
Consumer Reports has become reckless. They’ve lost a lot of credibility. Their tests for battery life, antennas and other aspects of technology products are woefully inadequate. Unfortunately, their recommendations carry a lot of weight. People use Consumer Reports to make purchasing decisions. Without a doubt, their mishandling of the MacBook Pro battery issue will cost Apple millions of dollars. Because this issue is Apple-related, it reverberates across the Internet with the usual distortion.
Apple isn’t blameless in this matter. They obviously have a serious problem with Safari. In certain situations, their browser will rapidly diminish battery life. This should be a wake up call to Cupertino — take your apps seriously or cease developing them altogether. I think Apple would be better served by pursuing vertical integration strategies for their profitable business — devices. They should acquire suppliers and manufacturers. Developing apps like Safari is counterproductive. This time, their sloppy app development has cost them more than they bargained for.