I think Apple has reached that stage in its corporate existence when it has an enormous executive staff and everyone has to justify their existence if not just their bonus. That is, they have to feel as though they're being perceived as "doing something" for the company. So the OSes and applications get changed more for the sake of the appearance of "work," than to deploy genuine improvements.

This would be a good moment for the Ghost of Apple Past (Steve Jobs) to haunt the halls of the spaceship and ask people what they're doing and if he doesn't like the answer, fire them.

We just got the new Apple TV interface, where they've gotten rid of any vestige of iTunes, and integrated the movies and tv shows into one store and one app. The result is dark, crowded, cluttered, small, busy, uninviting and unpleasant on my 65" LG OLED TV.

I hate it.

My first reaction is that I will not be buying or renting any content from Apple, just because I find the experience intolerable. I will reluctantly and grudgingly make the necessary effort to find and watch Apple TV+ streaming content. For now, anyway.

To be fair, both Prime and Netflix have changed their interfaces, for the worse, as well. I can figure out Netflix, and it's at least barely tolerable. Prime is a confusing labyrinth of other streaming platforms, "Prime" content, and Amazon purchases and rentals. I struggle to find "included with Prime" content.

I think the confusion on all the platforms is intentional, to create friction so you spend more time browsing and less time watching. Because that means you're less likely in any given evening to switch platforms because there's only so much time to watch, and any time lost to friction is time you've denied to your competitors.

I don't know if it's a classic case of enshittification, but it feels as though it is.

To that point, last night I ordered the 4k Blu-ray of Star Trek The Motion Picture (we've been watching The Center Seat on Prime). Partly because Apple sucks, and partly because of Christopher Nolan and the importance of physical media.

(Reminder: TBPO is an acronym for The Band Played On. This signifies in the post that I'm aware that there are vastly more important things going on that I should be incensed or worried about, and I am. This exhibition of denial is a defense mechanism against the crushing weight of absurdity in our existence that would otherwise leave me in an inert puddle of hopelessness and despair.)