Nobody’s perfect, and we all make mistakes. Maybe we make them twice, but eventually we learn from them. Apparently, Apple doesn’t. Over the past ten years, the company has repeatedly drawn attention to itself with some serious ergonomic flaws. It failed to anticipate how consumers will use its products — and in some cases it was even aware of potential problems in advance. Of course, quality issues can occasionally arise with any product that is produced in scales like Apple’s devices. It is up to the companies to address the problems and repair or replace the affected devices. But with Apple, this has often required petitions and class action lawsuits — because the issues were usually caused by design rather than manufacturing.

没有人是完美的，我们都会犯错。 也许我们使他们两次，但最终我们向他们学习。 显然，苹果没有。 在过去的十年中，该公司因一些严重的人体工程学缺陷而反复引起人们的注意。 它无法预测消费者将如何使用其产品-在某些情况下，它甚至事先已经意识到了潜在的问题。 当然，任何规模生产的产品(如Apple设备)偶尔都会出现质量问题。 由公司来解决问题并维修或更换受影响的设备。 但是对于苹果公司，这通常需要上访和集体诉讼，因为这些问题通常是由设计而非制造引起的。

This list is by no means complete, and there are several other minor issues that are not mentioned. Nevertheless, the following examples show how form and function can fail if a product lacks usability.

该列表绝不是完整的，还有其他一些未提及的小问题。 但是，以下示例显示了如果产品缺乏可用性，那么形式和功能将如何失败。

魔术鼠标(2009，2015) (Magic Mouse (2009, 2015))

In a way, the Magic Mouse combines two different input devices. It’s a computer mouse, but instead of buttons it uses an area that recognizes gestures, like a multi-touch trackpad. This led to two problems. First, the shape of the mouse is so flat that people can’t let their hand rest on it. And second, their fingers have to constantly hover above the touch-sensitive area to avoid false inputs. This unergonomic position causes pain in the hands and wrists after extended use — and it is so weird, that a user created a cheap silicon bump to fix this problem.

在某种程度上，Magic Mouse组合了两个不同的输入设备。 它是一种计算机鼠标，但是它使用了可识别手势的区域来代替按钮，例如多点触摸触控板。 这导致了两个问题。 首先，鼠标的形状是如此扁平，以至于人们不能将手放在上面。 其次，他们的手指必须不断地悬停在触敏区域上方，以避免错误的输入。 这种不符合人体工程学的姿势在长时间使用后会导致手和腕部疼痛-太奇怪了，以至于用户制造了廉价的硅凸块来解决该问题。

In 2015, Apple introduced the second version, the Magic Mouse 2, that now has a built-in rechargeable battery. But to preserve the minimalist shape, the designers placed the charging port on the bottom of the device. Although the mouse charges quickly and a charge can last for several months, this ultimately means that people can’t use it while charging (by the way, the first Apple Pencil had to be charged in a weird way as well).

2015年，Apple推出了第二个版本，即Magic Mouse 2 ，该版本现在具有内置可充电电池。 但是为了保持极简的形状，设计人员将充电端口放置在设备的底部。 尽管鼠标充电很快，并且充电可以持续数月，但这最终意味着人们在充电时无法使用它(顺便说一句，第一个Apple Pencil也必须以奇怪的方式充电)。

天线门(2010) (Antennagate (2010))

Although initially denied by Apple, the iPhone 4 had a critical design flaw. To improve signal quality, engineers used the device’s metal frame as antennas — one part for the phone network, the other for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPS. A great idea that could have been used to reduce the high SAR value of the device (and thus the radiation effects).

尽管最初遭到苹果公司的拒绝，但iPhone 4却存在严重的设计缺陷 。 为了提高信号质量，工程师将设备的金属框架用作天线，其中一部分用于电话网络，另一部分用于蓝牙，Wi-Fi和GPS。 本来可以用来降低设备的高SAR值 (进而降低辐射效应)的好主意。

“Just avoid holding it in this way.” (Steve Jobs)

“只是避免以这种方式握住它。” ( 史蒂夫·乔布斯 )

The problem is that radio waves enter and leave antennas at their ends. On the iPhone 4, these ends are on the lower left edge of the case. Unfortunately, that is where the user’s fingers naturally fall, bridging the antennas and causing signal loss. Since the problem was in a structural part of the device, Apple could only have recalled the new iPhone, which would have been a disaster. Instead, the company offered special cases (bumpers) to affected buyers for free.

问题是无线电波进入并离开天线的末端。 在iPhone 4上，这些末端位于手机壳的左下边缘。 不幸的是，那是用户的手指自然掉落， 桥接天线并造成信号损失的地方。 由于问题出在设备的结构部分，所以苹果只能召回新的iPhone，这简直是一场灾难。 相反，该公司免费向受影响的买家提供特殊情况(保险杠)。

Most likely Apple was aware of this problem at an early stage of product development.

苹果很可能在产品开发的早期就意识到了这一问题。

本德盖特(2014，2018) (Bendgate (2014, 2018))

In 2014, Apple introduced the iPhone 6. Due to its larger size and its ultra-slim shape, this new version was much more prone to mechanical flexing than previous models. Over time, this could deform the logic board, which particularly affected the soldering of the touch controllers. This issue showed up as a gray flickering bar across the top of the display— a design flaw that Apple knew about in advance.

2014年，苹果推出了iPhone 6 。 由于其更大的尺寸和超薄的外形，与以前的型号相比，该新版本更容易发生机械弯曲。 随着时间的流逝，这可能会使逻辑板变形，从而特别影响触摸控制器的焊接。 该问题显示为显示屏顶部的灰色闪烁条 ，这是Apple事先知道的设计缺陷。

One reason for the unwanted flexibility was the aluminium alloy of the shell. The design also had a weak spot near the volume buttons, where the iPhone could bend if enough pressure was applied (e.g. if you accidentally sat down with the device in your back pocket).

不需要的柔韧性的一个原因是外壳的铝合金。 该设计在音量按钮附近还存在一个弱点，如果施加足够的压力(例如，如果您不小心将设备放在后兜中坐下)，iPhone可能会弯曲。

For the iPhone 6s, the engineers chose a much stronger aluminum alloy to prevent the case from being bent. But in 2018, the problem occurred again when Apple introduced its third generation iPad Pro, which could be bent easily and was sometimes even shipped already warped. This time the company wanted to convince its buyers that a slight deformation was normal and the effect of a new production process. But it was obvious that the deformation affected the weakest parts of the device (again next to the volume buttons and the Lightning connector), which the engineers apparently hadn’t reinforced properly.

对于iPhone 6s，工程师选择了强度更高的铝合金以防止外壳弯曲。 但是在2018年，当苹果推出其第三代iPad Pro时，问题再次出现，该产品可能容易弯曲，有时甚至已经变形了。 这次，该公司希望说服买家，轻微变形是正常现象，并且是新生产Craft.io的结果。 但是很明显，变形影响了设备的最薄弱部分(再次靠近音量按钮和Lightning连接器)，工程师显然没有适当地加固它们。

Staingate(2015) (Staingate (2015))

In 2012, Apple integrated the high-resolution Retina display known from the iPhone and iPad into a new generation of Macbook Pros. The screen was now covered exclusively by an edge-to-edge reflective glass finish. The matte anti-glare option was removed because its surface would not have been compatible with the small pixels of the panel. So the engineers went for an anti-reflective coating on the glass to help with glare. But unfortunately, this coating could easily wear off under various circumstances, including normal use like the pressure of the keys on the display when the device was closed. This could even affect the entire screen, which made the Macbook largely unusable in certain lighting conditions.

2012年，苹果将以 iPhone和iPad闻名的高分辨率Retina显示屏集成到了新一代Macbook Pro中 。 屏幕现在仅由边缘到边缘的反射玻璃表面覆盖。 删除了哑光防眩光选项，因为其表面与面板的小像素不兼容。 因此，工程师们在玻璃上使用了抗反射涂层 ，以帮助防止眩光。 但是不幸的是，这种涂层在各种情况下都容易磨损 ，包括正常使用，例如关闭设备时显示屏上按键的压力。 这甚至可能会影响整个屏幕，这使得Macbook在某些光照条件下基本上无法使用。

In 2015, after two years of user complaints, Apple had to launch a repair program and replaced the displays of all affected models (those built between 2012 and 2017) free of charge.

在经历了两年的用户投诉后，2015年，苹果不得不免费启动维修计划并更换了所有受影响型号(2012年至2017年之间制造的型号)的显示屏。

Flexgate(2016) (Flexgate (2016))

Some users of the 2016 version of Macbook Pros discovered a serious design flaw as their devices aged. Over time, opening and closing the laptop as usual led to an effect called “stage lights”, where the lighting at the bottom of the screen appears blurred and uneven. The backlighting could also fail entirely.

2016版Macbook Pros的一些用户在设备老化时发现了严重的设计缺陷。 随着时间的流逝，照常打开和关闭笔记本电脑会产生一种称为“ 舞台灯 ”的效果，其中，屏幕底部的灯光显得模糊不均匀。 背光也可能会完全失效。

The reason was simple: the flexible cable connecting the display to the motherboard was too short and therefore prone to material fatigue. But since the cable is integrated into the screen, the entire display unit had to be replaced (which costs around $700) in order so solve the problem.

原因很简单：将显示器连接至主板的柔性电缆太短，因此容易造成材料疲劳 。 但是，由于电缆已集成到屏幕中，因此必须更换整个显示单元(成本约为700美元)才能解决问题。

Apple long refused to acknowledge this issue. However, it must have been aware of it, as the 2018 Macbook Pros used a longer display cable — most likely to fix previous flaws. But it wasn’t until 2019 that the complaints became so severe that Apple again launched a repair program and had the displays of the affected devices replaced free of charge.

苹果长期以来一直拒绝承认这一问题。 但是，它必须意识到这一点，因为2018年的Macbook Pro使用更长的显示电缆 -最有可能修复以前的缺陷。 但是直到2019年投诉才变得如此严重，以至于苹果再次启动了维修计划 ，并免费更换了受影响设备的显示屏。

消除港口(2016) (Elimination of ports (2016))

Apple is well-known for removing certain ports without compromise. To clean up the clutter of different computer interfaces, the first iMac exclusively offered Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports and abandoned all previous proprietary connections (exept for FireWire). This was in 1998. But since then, even this universal interface has become quite confusing due to the ten different connector styles.

苹果因删除某些端口而毫不妥协而闻名。 为了清理各种计算机接口的混乱情况，第一台iMac专门提供了通用串行总线 (USB)端口，并放弃了所有以前的专有连接(仅适用于FireWire)。 那是在1998年。但是从那以后，由于十种不同的连接器样式，即使是这个通用接口也变得相当混乱。

With the introduction of the fourth generation of its Macbook Pros in 2016, Apple removed the popular USB-A port in exchange for USB-C. This new standard offers a universal interface for power, data, audio and display connections — which is superb from a technical standpoint. The company also dropped the slot for the widely used SD cards as well as the HDMI port. The point is not that the new interface is significantly better, more powerful and therefore make sense — the point is which connections people need for their devices. As long as they use the standard USB sticks, printers, wired keyboards or the external display they own, they now need adapters.

随着2016年推出第四代 Macbook Pro，Apple取消了流行的USB-A端口，以换取 USB-C 。 该新标准为电源，数据，音频和显示连接提供了通用接口-从技术角度来看，这是一流的。 该公司还删除了用于广泛使用的SD卡以及HDMI端口的插槽。 关键并不在于新界面要好得多，功能更强大并因此有意义-关键在于人们需要与他们的设备建立连接。 只要他们使用自己拥有的标准USB棒，打印机，有线键盘或外接显示器，他们现在就需要适配器 。

This approach also applies to the headphone jack, which Apple removed from the iPhone 7 to focus on wireless connectivity. Although the 3.5mm jack is very popular, it was originally designed in the 1950s, which means that it is quite outdated and has its technical shortcomings. It would have been a good idea to replace it with a future-proof interface like USB-C. But Apple didn’t. It still uses its proprietary Lightning port, even in the latest iPhone.

这种方法也适用于耳机插Kong ，Apple从iPhone 7中删除了耳机插Kong以专注于无线连接。 尽管3.5毫米插Kong很受欢迎，但它最初是在1950年代设计的，这意味着它已经过时并且存在技术缺陷 。 用诸如USB-C之类的面向未来的接口替换它是一个好主意。 但是苹果没有。 即使在最新的iPhone中，它仍然使用其专有的Lightning端口。

By using USB-C as the only universal port in 2016, Apple also discontinued MagSafe, its magnetically attached power connector. It was one of the inconspicuous but brilliant inventions that made using a Macbook really safe — because you couldn’t rip it off the table if you ever accidentally tripped on the power cord.

通过在2016年使用USB-C作为唯一的通用端口，苹果还停止了其磁性连接的电源连接器MagSafe 。 这是使用Macbook真正安全的不起眼但出色的发明之一-因为如果您不小心绊倒了电源线，就无法将其从桌子上撕下来。

蝴蝶键盘(2018) (Butterfly keyboard (2018))

In 2015, Apple introduced its new 12-inch Macbooks. To achieve its ultraslim form factor, the engineers used butterfly switches instead of the well-proven scissor mechanism (found in every other Apple keyboard). The problem with this new technology quickly became obvious: Dust and other particles could make their way into the keyboard and under the keys, causing the switches to jam — something that most likely didn’t happen since the early mechanical typewriters. Due to the reduced key travel, many users also complained about a worse typing experience and that the new design was too noisy.

2015年，苹果推出了新的12英寸Macbook。 为了实现超薄外形，工程师使用了蝶形开关，而不是经过广泛验证的剪式机制(在其他所有Apple键盘中都可以找到)。 这项新技术的问题很快变得很明显：灰尘和其他微粒可能进入键盘和按键下方，导致开关卡住，这是自早期的机械打字机以来最不可能发生的事情。 由于减少了键行程，许多用户还抱怨打字体验较差，并且新设计过于嘈杂。

It took Apple two generations of butterfly keyboards to finally fix the dust issue, with a class action lawsuit forcing them to offer a massive keyboard replacement program in 2018.

苹果花了两代蝶形键盘才能解决灰尘问题，集体诉讼要求他们在2018年提供大规模的键盘更换程序 。

With the 2019 16-inch Macbook Pro, Apple returned to the tried and tested keyboard with scissor switches (now calling it “magic”). It is unclear why the company dropped a proven technology before. The devices with a butterfly keyboard were only about three millimeter thinner than the previous models — an aesthetic choice, not a technical necessity— and the new Macbook Pro with its new (old) key switches is just as thin as it was before.

有了2019年的16英寸Macbook Pro，苹果公司又回到了经过验证的带有剪刀式开关的键盘(现在称其为“ 魔术 ”)。 目前尚不清楚为什么该公司之前放弃了一项经过验证的技术。 有蝴蝶键盘的设备只有大约3毫米更薄比以前的型号-审美上的选择，而不是一个技术necessity-和新的MacBook Pro与它的新(旧)键，切换是一样薄，因为它是前 。

盛大的立场(2019) (A grand for a stand (2019))

Without question, Apple’s Pro Display is an extremely good and sophisticated screen, even if opinions differ about the price of $5,000. The matching minimalist stand, however, costs another $1,000 — for an accessory that comes standard with all other monitors.

毫无疑问，即使对5,000美元的价格有不同的看法，Apple的Pro Display还是一款非常出色的屏幕。 然而，与之匹配的极简主义支架还要再花1000美元，用于所有其他显示器的标配配件。

A good stand is an important ergonomic feature that’s necessary to align the monitor properly. In fact, it is so common that shipping the display without it is like selling a car without wheels. But even if people already own a good stand, they still need an adapter (which costs $199) because the Pro Display’s mount is not compatible with the popular VESA standard.

良好的支架是符合人体工程学的重要功能，对于正确对齐显示器而言，这是必需的。 实际上，很常见的情况是，不带显示器就运送显示器，就像卖没有轮子的汽车一样。 但是，即使人们已经拥有一个好的支架，他们仍然需要一个适配器(价格为199美元)，因为Pro Display的支架与流行的VESA标准不兼容 。

维修和升级 (Repairs and upgrades)

At the beginning of the last decade, the pre-Retina unibody Macbook Pros had the highest iFixit repairability score of any Apple notebook: 7 out of 10. The new 2019 16-inch Macbook Pro, however, achieved only 1/10 — a score that is typical for most modern Apple laptops (iPads share this downward trend).

在过去十年的初期，Retina一体机Macbook Pros在所有Apple笔记本电脑中的iFixit 可修复性得分最高： 10分中的7分 。 但是，新的2019年16英寸Macbook Pro仅取得1/10的成绩-这是大多数现代Apple笔记本电脑所具有的典型得分(iPad具有这种下降趋势 )。

Before the introduction of the unibody design, the RAM of most Apple laptops could be upgraded very easily, usually without tools. The early unibody devices made things a bit more difficult, but with a good manual and the right Torx and Phillips screwdrivers, you could still replace or repair most parts, from the battery to the fans, just like before. You could even swap the optical drive for a second hard drive if you wanted to.

在采用一体式设计之前，大多数Apple笔记本电脑的RAM都可以非常容易地升级，通常不需要工具。 早期的一体式设备使事情变得有些棘手，但是有了一本好的手册以及正确的Torx和Phillips螺丝起子，您仍然可以像以前一样更换或修理从电池到风扇的大多数零件。 如果愿意，您甚至可以将光驱换成第二块硬盘。

But a lot has changed here since. Modern Apple laptops are using the company’s own Pentalobe screws, which require a special screwdriver. Smaller components are sometimes still modular, but the processor, RAM and the SSDs are soldered to the logic board or have a proprietary design as well. Many other parts, including the battery, are strongly glued to the aluminium shell or other parts.

但是此后发生了很多变化。 现代的Apple笔记本电脑使用的是该公司自己的Pentalobe螺钉，需要使用特殊的螺丝刀。 较小的组件有时仍是模块化的，但是处理器，RAM和SSD焊接在逻辑板上，或者也具有专有设计。 许多其他零件，包括电池，都牢固地粘在铝壳或其他零件上。

These design changes prevent the normal user from replacing or repairing important components. This applies to obvious upgrades such as a larger hard drive or more RAM as well as more extensive repairs like a buzzing fan or a defective speaker. They now require the (most likely expensive) service of an authorized provider — which, in some cases, allows Apple to earn quietly on its repair and replacement programs, even if they have been legally enforced. If a device can no longer be repaired, whether for design reasons or planned obsolescence, this inevitably leads to the purchase of a completely new device, even if it were not necessary.

这些设计更改会阻止普通用户更换或维修重要组件。 这适用于明显的升级，例如更大的硬盘驱动器或更多的RAM，以及更广泛的维修，例如嗡嗡作响的风扇或损坏的扬声器。 他们现在需要授权提供商的服务(最可能是最昂贵的服务)，在某些情况下，即使苹果已得到合法执行，这也使Apple可以从其维修计划中悄然赚钱 。 如果由于设计原因或计划的淘汰而无法再维修设备，那么即使没有必要，这也必然导致购买了全新的设备。

To create something that has serious ergonomic problems and making people want to buy it anyway is an economic tour de force. The days when people used to camp outside Apple stores to be the first to get a new iPhone are not so long gone. But in the past decade, Apple neglected not only the professionals but eventually all users by paying too little attention to them. This approach did not harm the company financially. In fact, it was very successful from an economic point of view, mainly due to excellent marketing and a satisfying user experience regarding software and aesthetics. But Apple’s focus on selling equipment to buyers, rather than taking care of its customers’ needs, has led to various petitions, lawsuits and frustrated users — all of which have damaged the company’s reputation.

制造具有严重人体工程学问题的东西并使人们无论如何都想购买它是经济之旅。 人们习惯于在苹果商店外扎营以抢先购买新iPhone的日子不久就消失了。 但是在过去的十年中，苹果公司对专业人士的关注太少，不仅忽视了专业人员，而且最终忽略了所有用户。 这种方法不会对公司造成财务上的损害。 实际上，从经济的角度来看，它是非常成功的，主要是由于出色的市场营销以及令人满意的软件和美学用户体验。 但是，苹果公司专注于向买家出售设备，而不是照顾客户的需求，导致各种请愿，诉讼和沮丧的用户，所有这些都损害了公司的声誉。

谢谢阅读！ (Thanks for reading!)

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