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{{Infobox company|name=Apple Inc.|image=Apple logo.png|caption=Logo of Apple Inc. since 1998|founding_name=Apple Computer Company|founding_date=1 April 1976|founder=Steve Wozniak<br>[[Steve Jobs]]|industry=Computing, consumer goods|headquarters=1 Apple Park Way, Cupertino, California, [[United States]]|key_people=Tim Cook (CEO)|employee_number=164,000 (2022)<ref>[https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/AAPL/apple/number-of-employees Apple: Number of Employees 2010-2023 | AAPL] ''Macrotrends''</ref>|revenue=$394.328B (2022)}}
{{Infobox company|name=Apple Inc.|image=Apple logo.png|caption=Logo of Apple Inc. since 1998|founding_name=Apple Computer Company|founding_date=1 April 1976|founder=Steve Wozniak<br>Steve Jobs|industry=Computing, consumer goods|headquarters=1 Apple Park Way, Cupertino, California, [[United States]]|key_people=Tim Cook (CEO)|employee_number=164,000 (2022)<ref>[https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/AAPL/apple/number-of-employees Apple: Number of Employees 2010-2023 | AAPL] ''Macrotrends''</ref>|revenue=$394.328B (2022)}}
'''Apple Inc.''' is an [[Imperialism|imperialist]] mega-corporation specialized in luxury computer technology and consumer goods based in the [[United States]]. Founded in 1976, Apple is one of the entities which constitutes the "[[big tech]]" corporate oligopoly. As of 2023, Apple products consume a considerable market share in [[Western]] countries.<ref>[https://www.statista.com/statistics/576473/united-states-quarterly-pc-shipment-share-apple/ Apple's PC unit shipment share in the United States from 2013 to 2023, by quarter] ''Statista''</ref>


'''Apple Inc.''' is a computer technology and consumer goods mega-corporation based in the [[United States]]. Founded in 1976, Apple is one of the entities which constitutes the "[[big tech]]" corporate [[oligopoly]]. As of 2023, Apple products consume a considerable market share in [[Western]] countries.<ref>[https://www.statista.com/statistics/576473/united-states-quarterly-pc-shipment-share-apple/ Apple's PC unit shipment share in the United States from 2013 to 2023, by quarter] ''Statista''                  </ref>
Apple commits labor abuses, privacy violations, and anti-consumer practices. Apple products are often manufactured in inhumane and oppressive conditions with meager wages.<ref>[https://www.scribd.com/document/95395223/Sweatshops-Are-Good-for-Apple-and-Foxconn-But-Not-for-Workers# Sweatshops Are Good For Apple and Foxconn, But Not For Workers] by Yi Yi Debby (31 May 2012) ''Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour''</ref> Apple also regularly collaborates in mass-surveillance efforts with the Chinese and United States governments,<ref>[https://techcrunch.com/2013/06/17/apple-nsa/?guce_referrer_us=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmN6Lw&guce_referrer_cs=U5TxrCVG_vXnTBe_Cuw88A Why Was Apple Late To the PRISM Party?] by Alexia Tsotsis (18 June 2013) ''TechCrunch''</ref><ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-china-idUSKCN1AU1LH China's Guizhou province to oversee Apple's data project] (14 August 2017) ''Reuters''</ref> which is aided by the mega-corporation's proprietary operating systems and software.<ref name=":0">[https://www.gnu.org/proprietary/malware-apple.en.html Apple's Operating Systems Are Malware] ''gnu.org''</ref>
 
Apple is infamous for its consistent labor abuses, privacy violations, and generally anti-consumer practices. Apple, similar to other transnational mega-corporations, perpetrates [[imperialism]] via exporting their industries to less developed markets. Apple products are often manufactured in inhumane and oppressive conditions with meager wages.<ref>[https://www.scribd.com/document/95395223/Sweatshops-Are-Good-for-Apple-and-Foxconn-But-Not-for-Workers# Sweatshops Are Good For Apple and Foxconn, But Not For Workers] by Yi Yi Debby (31 May, 2012) ''Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour'' </ref> Apple also regularly collaborates in mass-surveillance efforts with imperialist governments,<ref>[https://techcrunch.com/2013/06/17/apple-nsa/?guce_referrer_us=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmN6Lw&guce_referrer_cs=U5TxrCVG_vXnTBe_Cuw88A Why Was Apple Late To the PRISM Party?] by Alexia Tsotsis (18 June, 2013) ''TechCrunch'' </ref><ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-china-idUSKCN1AU1LH China's Guizhou province to oversee Apple's data project] (14 August, 2017) ''Reuters'' </ref> which is aided by the mega-corporation's [[Proprietary software|proprietary]] operating systems and software.<ref name=":0">[https://www.gnu.org/proprietary/malware-apple.en.html Apple's Operating Systems Are Malware] ''gnu.org''</ref>
 
== History ==
 
=== Founding and early existence ===
{{Empty section|date=September 2023}}<!-- Steve Wozniak, Apple I and Apple II, etc. -->
 
=== Corporatization ===
{{Empty section|date=September 2023}}<!-- Steve Jobs' takeover, Apple Lisa, introduction of the Macintosh, etc. -->
 
=== Later history ===
{{Empty section|date=September 2023}}<!-- Development of the "iThings" and such. Jobs' death. Modern developments.  -->


== Practices ==
== Practices ==


=== Privacy violations ===
=== Privacy violations ===
Users of Apple's proprietary operating systems (mainly macOS and iOS) are regularly subjected to invasive telemetry and other forms of privacy intrusions from Apple.<ref name=":0" /> By default — and particularly with more recent versions of macOS — Apple collects the IP address and location associated with users' computers,<ref>[https://www.pcmag.com/news/apple-explains-why-it-grabs-data-from-mac-computers-amid-privacy-concerns Apple Explains Why It Grabs Data From Mac Computers Amid Privacy Concerns] by Michael Kan (16 November, 2020) ''pcmag.com''</ref> the exact applications installed and opened by users,<ref name=":1">[https://mspoweruser.com/macos-big-sur-has-its-own-telemetry-privacy-nightmare/ macOS Big Sur has its own telemetry privacy nightmare] by Surur (20 November, 2020) ''MSpoweruser''</ref> technical information on users' devices,<ref name=":2">[https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww/ Apple Privacy Policy] ''Apple''</ref> along with other personal data such as financial and health information.<ref name=":2" /> Such sensitive data is, at least since the release of macOS Big Sur, impossible to fully block and is transmitted in plain-text.<ref name=":1" /> While it is possible to, at least nominally, prevent some of this telemetry via altering the privacy settings on macOS, given the non-[[Free and open-source software|open-source]] nature of Apple's operating systems, it is impossible to fully know if such telemetry is actually disabled.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
[[File:Apple-protest-sign.jpg|thumb|Sign displayed during a labor dispute brought about by Apple's exploitative practices.]]
Users of Apple's proprietary operating systems (mainly macOS and iOS) have their personal data and routine computer usage statistics sent to Apple's servers regularly.<ref name=":0" /> For example, Apple collects the IP address and location associated with users' computers,<ref>[https://www.pcmag.com/news/apple-explains-why-it-grabs-data-from-mac-computers-amid-privacy-concerns Apple Explains Why It Grabs Data From Mac Computers Amid Privacy Concerns] by Michael Kan (16 November 2020) ''pcmag.com''</ref> the exact applications installed and opened by users,<ref name=":1">[https://mspoweruser.com/macos-big-sur-has-its-own-telemetry-privacy-nightmare/ macOS Big Sur has its own telemetry privacy nightmare] by Surur (20 November 2020) ''MSpoweruser''</ref> technical information on users' devices,<ref name=":2">[https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww/ Apple Privacy Policy] ''Apple''</ref> along with other personal data such as financial and health information.<ref name=":2" /> Such sensitive data is, at least since the release of macOS Big Sur, impossible to fully block and is transmitted in plain-text.<ref name=":1" />  


Apple's operating systems are known to likely contain multiple backdoors within them.<ref name=":02" /> This, in combination with the fact that Apple collaborates in the US government's [[PRISM]] surveillance program,<ref name=":3" /> results in Apple operating systems possessing a lack of user privacy similar to [[Microsoft]]'s own proprietary operating system Windows.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
Apple's operating systems contain multiple backdoors within them. Apple also collaborates in the US government's PRISM surveillance program.
=== Labor abuses ===
{{Empty section|date=September 2023}}


=== Planned obsolesce ===
=== Planned obsolescence ===
Apple's practices represent a text-book example of [[planned obsolesce]], particularly in recent times. Apple purposefully designs its products in a way which is hostile to the user, with the batteries contained in their mobile devices (such as iPhones) being made deliberately irreplaceable as well as made in such a way so as to ensure the battery will fail after a certain amount of usage. In doing this, Apple forces its mobile users to either purchase an new, expensive device or have them undergo a tedious, expensive, and week-long process in order to have the battery be replace on the user's device, during which, Apple erases the device's memory.<ref>[https://www.ifixit.com/News/14282/apples-latest-innovation-is-turning-planned-obsolescence-into-planned-failure Apple’s ‘Innovation’ Turns Planned Obsolescence Into Planned Failure] by Kyle Wiens (20 January 2011) ''www.ifixit.com''</ref>  
Apple's practices represent a text-book example of planned obsolescence, particularly in recent times. Apple purposefully designs its products in a way which is hostile to the user, with the batteries contained in their mobile devices (such as iPhones) being made deliberately irreplaceable as well.<ref>[https://redphoenixnews.com/2024/04/17/opinion-planned-obsolescence-shatters-the-myth-of-capitalist-innovation/ "Opinion: Planned obsolescence shatters the myth of capitalist innovation!"] (April 17, 2024) ''The Red Phoenix'' </ref> In doing this, Apple forces its mobile users to either purchase a new, expensive device or turn their faulty device in to an Apple-approved repair center for a tedious, expensive week-long process to have the battery replaced, during which Apple erases the device's memory.<ref>[https://www.ifixit.com/News/14282/apples-latest-innovation-is-turning-planned-obsolescence-into-planned-failure Apple’s ‘Innovation’ Turns Planned Obsolescence Into Planned Failure] by Kyle Wiens (20 January 2011) ''www.ifixit.com''</ref>


== Commercial locations ==
== Commercial locations ==
{{lifted content|the|Dictionary of Revolutionary Marxism||https://massline.org/Dictionary/index.htm}}[[File:AppleCorpHQ.jpg|thumb|308x308px|The extravagant corporate headquarters of Apple.]]
[[File:AppleCorpHQ.jpg|thumb|308x308px|The extravagant corporate headquarters of Apple.]]


=== Headquarters ===
=== Headquarters ===
More and more of the world’s wealth is being captured by the giant multinational corporations. This continues to be true even while the long-developing world capitalist overproduction crisis intensifies, which means that many big corporations are awash in huge cash hoards that they don’t know what to do with. This has led a number of them into a trend of creating enormously wasteful monuments to themselves, on a par with the giant pyramids of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs. The picture at the right is of the new enormously expensive Apple Corporation headquarters now under construction in Silicon Valley (California), which is in the shape of a giant space ship.
More and more of the world's wealth is being captured by the giant multinational corporations. This continues to be true even while the long-developing world capitalist overproduction crisis intensifies, which means that many big corporations are awash in huge cash hoards that they do not know what to do with. This has led a number of them into a trend of creating enormously wasteful monuments to themselves, on a par with the giant pyramids of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs. The picture at the right is of the new enormously expensive Apple Corporation headquarters now under construction in Silicon Valley (California), which is in the shape of a giant space ship.


== See also ==
== See also ==


* [[Microsoft]]
* [[Microsoft]]
* [[Steve Jobs]]
* [[Mass surveillance in the United States]]
* [[Mass surveillance in the United States]]
* [[Planned obsolesce]]
* [[Planned obsolescence]]


== External links ==
== External links ==


* [https://stallman.org/apple.html Reasons not to use Apple]
* [https://stallman.org/apple.html Reasons not to use Apple]
* [https://lowendmac.com/2020/dear-apple-your-services-are-no-longer-required/ Dear Apple: your services are no longer required]
* [https://yewtu.be/watch?v=VgXNUuvDQ5w Does Apple REALLY care about your privacy?] on [[YouTube]]


== References ==
== References ==
<references />
<references />
[[Category:Apple Inc.| ]]
[[Category:Companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Mass surveillance]]
[[Category:Mass surveillance]]
[[Category:Big tech]]
[[Category:1976 establishments]]
{{stub}}

Latest revision as of 19:54, 17 April 2024

Apple Inc.
Apple logo.png
Logo of Apple Inc. since 1998
Founded
Apple Computer Company

1 April 1976
Founder Steve Wozniak
Steve Jobs
Industry Computing, consumer goods
Headquarters 1 Apple Park Way, Cupertino, California, United States
Key people Tim Cook (CEO)
Number of employees 164,000 (2022)[1]
Revenue $394.328B (2022)

Apple Inc. is an imperialist mega-corporation specialized in luxury computer technology and consumer goods based in the United States. Founded in 1976, Apple is one of the entities which constitutes the "big tech" corporate oligopoly. As of 2023, Apple products consume a considerable market share in Western countries.[2]

Apple commits labor abuses, privacy violations, and anti-consumer practices. Apple products are often manufactured in inhumane and oppressive conditions with meager wages.[3] Apple also regularly collaborates in mass-surveillance efforts with the Chinese and United States governments,[4][5] which is aided by the mega-corporation's proprietary operating systems and software.[6]

Practices

Privacy violations

Sign displayed during a labor dispute brought about by Apple's exploitative practices.

Users of Apple's proprietary operating systems (mainly macOS and iOS) have their personal data and routine computer usage statistics sent to Apple's servers regularly.[6] For example, Apple collects the IP address and location associated with users' computers,[7] the exact applications installed and opened by users,[8] technical information on users' devices,[9] along with other personal data such as financial and health information.[9] Such sensitive data is, at least since the release of macOS Big Sur, impossible to fully block and is transmitted in plain-text.[8]

Apple's operating systems contain multiple backdoors within them. Apple also collaborates in the US government's PRISM surveillance program.

Planned obsolescence

Apple's practices represent a text-book example of planned obsolescence, particularly in recent times. Apple purposefully designs its products in a way which is hostile to the user, with the batteries contained in their mobile devices (such as iPhones) being made deliberately irreplaceable as well.[10] In doing this, Apple forces its mobile users to either purchase a new, expensive device or turn their faulty device in to an Apple-approved repair center for a tedious, expensive week-long process to have the battery replaced, during which Apple erases the device's memory.[11]

Commercial locations

The extravagant corporate headquarters of Apple.

Headquarters

More and more of the world's wealth is being captured by the giant multinational corporations. This continues to be true even while the long-developing world capitalist overproduction crisis intensifies, which means that many big corporations are awash in huge cash hoards that they do not know what to do with. This has led a number of them into a trend of creating enormously wasteful monuments to themselves, on a par with the giant pyramids of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs. The picture at the right is of the new enormously expensive Apple Corporation headquarters now under construction in Silicon Valley (California), which is in the shape of a giant space ship.

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ Apple: Number of Employees 2010-2023 | AAPL Macrotrends
  2. ↑ Apple's PC unit shipment share in the United States from 2013 to 2023, by quarter Statista
  3. ↑ Sweatshops Are Good For Apple and Foxconn, But Not For Workers by Yi Yi Debby (31 May 2012) Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour
  4. ↑ Why Was Apple Late To the PRISM Party? by Alexia Tsotsis (18 June 2013) TechCrunch
  5. ↑ China's Guizhou province to oversee Apple's data project (14 August 2017) Reuters
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Apple's Operating Systems Are Malware gnu.org
  7. ↑ Apple Explains Why It Grabs Data From Mac Computers Amid Privacy Concerns by Michael Kan (16 November 2020) pcmag.com
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 macOS Big Sur has its own telemetry privacy nightmare by Surur (20 November 2020) MSpoweruser
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Apple Privacy Policy Apple
  10. ↑ "Opinion: Planned obsolescence shatters the myth of capitalist innovation!" (April 17, 2024) The Red Phoenix
  11. ↑ Apple’s ‘Innovation’ Turns Planned Obsolescence Into Planned Failure by Kyle Wiens (20 January 2011) www.ifixit.com
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