Even if technically they could, the fact that they don't is to me the crucial difference.
Regulators make a difference between general purpose platforms and dedicated/single purpose platforms.
If Apple wants to claim their devices are computer replacements, they should be regulated like it.
Proceeds to site one ad from 2018. Hyperbole really isn’t necessary here. And marketing determining how a product should be regulated is a sure fire way to encourage companies to get around regulation by changing your their marketing.
> If Apple wants to claim their devices are computer replacements, they should be regulated like it.
The Xbox kinda does: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/xbox-apps/devk...
And while unofficial, the Nintendo Switch has an exploit chain that lets you run native apps or mainline Linux/Android with Nvidia's Tegra drivers: https://github.com/CTCaer/hekate https://github.com/Atmosphere-NX/Atmosphere
So that's two of the big three consoles that technically do let you install anything you want.
It's more of a technical nuance in the Switch's case, but homebrew on Nintendo consoles is a time-honored tradition.
I used Xbox Media Player on my modded Xbox, it later turned into XBMC and to Kodi much later.
It was hardly "open". The console had to be modded to enable any of it.
There is no reason why I shouldn't be able to install Arch on either the Xbox or PS5, the hardware is 80-90% off the shelf stuff anyway.
Why can't I have a proper web browser on either? There are no technical limitations, only the walls of their garden we wilfully ignore.
Honestly I don’t know why people think they should be able to publish their software on anything anyways. I can see the iOS/android argument at least because they’re ubiquitous. But there is nothing wrong with how game consoles currently work. It’s a win for Sony/M$/Nintendo, game developers, and consumers. If it wasn’t, then games would only get released on PC (which already allows for exactly what you seem to be advocating for)
I want one with more power in a displayless box I can plug into my TV and make it my only console.
(they tried with the Steambox, but it kinda faltered)
I mean, you're basically describing the mini-pc form factor. I'm not sure exactly where the steamdeck lies but the last couple of years these laptop CPU based systems have been pretty amazing for what they pack.
No need to spend hours adjusting settings and scouring the internet for That One Setting that will make it run smoothly.
Even CP2077 runs great out of the box on it - and it's nigh-unplayable on PS4 level hardware.
The PS5 was sold at a slight loss at launch, Sony got production costs down enough to be profitable about a year later (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-04/sony-rais...).
I'm less sure about Microsoft, my understanding is that the Series X is profitable and the Series S is a loss leader. However, both of them can be put into a developer mode and you can run your own (or other people's) code.
To my knowledge none of the big three consoles allow you to install anything you want on them. They're "walled gardens" just as badly as Apple's ecosystem.