Who controls the device you already bought?

Apple is the loudest case. The macOS 27 thread (49957116) is about turning off Apple Intelligence to get disk space back, and commenters warn that new privacy and security measures will curb agentic workflows even more. 'Apple and a Hacker's Future' (49962857) draws the sharpest reading: it is not about emotion, it is platform control. Apple limits background autonomy under the label of security while its own first-party frameworks keep unfettered ambient access.

The same instinct shows up in smaller places. The ceiling fan thread (49917536) complains that nearly every model is 'appified' with a proprietary Bluetooth protocol and a required app, plus non-replaceable LEDs that turn a burnout into e-waste. The cochlear implant thread (49920785) asks for an open connectivity standard between the implant and its stimulator, since the lithium-ion battery will need replacing in about 15 years. The old FCC IoT update thread (37392676) is a reminder that security rules and ownership rights keep colliding.

The through-line: people accept 'security' and 'integration' until they notice the vendor gets the capabilities and they get the permission prompts. The pattern now reaches from laptops to ceiling fans to medical implants.