As a tangent, Apple just showed the world that the iPhone 16 Pro can run Cyberpunk 2077. They didn't mean to position the MacBook Neo as a gaming machine, but rather a better alternative to the Chromebook. If you're unfamiliar, it's a $500 laptop with the guts of an iPhone 16 Pro. And it can run a lot of games (like on Steam). The iPhone 16 Pro/MacBook Neo (Apple A18 Pro chip), the M2 Apple/Mac chip, and the Switch 2 all have right about similar performance levels, with each having advantages in certain areas, but all still being relatively contemporary to one another. (You can forget the Switch 2, it's just there as a reference point. I just mean a recent phone chip and a recent desktop chip are both good enough for daily use.)
So, why didn't Apple just make a dock where you can plug the iPhone 16 Pro into a display, keyboard, and mouse, and get a whole ass Mac? Because Apple. If you're subscribed to an Android channel, you know that. Now Android, tends to have more options. And, Qualcomm has been catching up to Apple Silicon lately.
Windows is just getting worse and worse. Meanwhile, because of Valve, gaming on Linux is getting better.
So here's the pitch for an Android desktop mode: you can use the phone you have now to also be your computer. Or you can buy a super premium Android phone that costs a bit more than you're comfortable spending, and have one capable of gaming.
With the RAM and SSD price inflation and shortages, it makes sense. Apple just showed us that the 2024 iPhone can run Cyberpunk. Your move, Android. And I, for one, am looking forward to it. Everything Apple's done, Android has put its own spin on it. (Not that Apple started any trend, but they certainly mobilised them!) And that goes both ways. You have CarPlay, you have Android Auto. You have AirPods, you have various Android earbuds. You have this feature on one, the other gets it soon enough. So if Android starts saying "hey, our phones double as computers," not only is Apple going to look into that, but they've kind of already done it, so they don't have to look very hard. And competition is good for everyone.
For those who don't want desktop mode (or don't think they do), I get it. I grew up on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and I thought the idea of talking to my TV would be awesome. I have an iPhone, I have an Apple TV, and I have a 55" 4KTV. I can pair my iPhone to my Apple TV, prop it up, point it into the living room, and have a Star Trek style video communicator. We've had FaceTime for years, but now it's on the TV. But video calling in general? Who actually does that? Not too many people. Some businesses use it. It didn't take off like we thought it would. It's still cool that we can do it.