No, they just want to have something to brag about or think they know better (Soviet/communist style). Like, we're lazy and tired of having to carry our proprietary iPhone chargers, we know you're too, let's make USB mandatory.
I can (actually can't, but for the sake of argument let's pretend) imagine why my wife's Air Pods Pro 3 can't supply heart rate data to my phone for exercising. But why can't they report battery level? ffs
Even if Lightning is better in some aspects (USB-C tongues break sometimes), forcing people to have special cables just for apple devices, when every single thing runs on USB-C, feels like done out of spite. And then? Apple devices don't support any fast charging standard. Spite again.
It's hard to see it differently, but there might be better reasons and arguments that I can't or choose not to see. Probably because I don't love the company that forced poor parents to buy their kids expensive phones just so the kids wouldn't get ostracized for not having green or blue bubble in text messages.
> USB-C tongues break sometimes
Unlike barrel chargers which are also simpler. No need for fancy electronics and protocols. Let's not forget non-compliant USB chargers. I remember reading about a Chinese mini-PC manufacturer that sold a computer with a charger which provided 19V or so from the start without any negotiation. Hopefully no one tried to use it with another device.
I actually (or somebody close, friend or family, can't recall) did exactly that. It was a few years ago and I don't remember what got fried. Some small electronics. It was a barrel charger and it fit. Too bad that fitting didn't mean the power levels were ok too.
> I don't like the product because of its charging mechanism, not reporting battery level etc, I don't buy it.
Why shouldn't my wife get headphones because a company is a dick and makes them not work with her husband's phone properly? Looks like a dismissive argument trying to excuse malicious business practices. (I'm not in or from US, maybe that's normal and OK there, so sorry for ranting about it, as it might be fine or even good for you if you're invested in Apple). Anyway, why not buy them, headphones work very well for my wife. Other than price not being adjusted to product performance and quality, AirPods Pro 3 are a very good product. HR reporting is a cool feature. And I don't have bud-type earphones, so I borrow hers for exercising.
Back to "don't buy it if you don't like it" argument: it doesn't argument against apple being dicks for making the product purposefully not work with an Android phone. And if it does, please explain it more clearly, I believe I'm not the only one holding the point of view that it just doesn't exonerate them.
As I see it, it's malicious compliance, as there's no laws YET forbidding what they're doing. (Somebody recently RE'd AirPods BT protocol/calls IIRC and found them reporting battery on non standard ?variable name?. He then got Android phone to show battery level after a small modification.
For comparison, I would bet a beer (I see betting more as gambling) that if Samsung created headphones with HR monitor, I would still be able to see battery level and HR in my Oura app on my OnePlus. And vice versa for 1+ headphones on Samsung. Do you see my point?
And for the record, apple has recently released many phones, both low and high end, that weren't overpriced. And I vehemently oppose anyone whom I'll have to tech support later, getting any phone different than apple - for a non technical user these phones are perfect. Good default's. Non customizable - perfect from point of view of tech support. Just works. Just to show that I'm anti anti consumer conduct, not anti apple.