Comment by beeflet

Fabrication of microchips is based on massive economies of scale. Thanks to apple, the majority of top-of-the-line microchips are going into locked-down computers. What happens when Apple or similar companies control 90% of the market, and you are paying exorbitant prices for crappy microchips in exchange for the privilege of running user-controlled software?

A decade or two ago, Intel introduced the Intel Management Engine to new computer processors. Their competitors followed suit. The market has stopped making products without these trusted computing "features" a long time ago. Eventually, you stop being able to choose.

These are the consequences of a computer market led by consumers that don't understand computers. The invisible hand is legally blind.