For Apple, I believe these to be the same. Don't get me wrong, I also understand and know that being able to have that control in other areas is a reason that chip in the lightning cable exists too. And I'm not here to defend those reasons. But I'll take and applaud the reasons that do improve situations for people working in the supply chain of the products I purchase.

Look, I know it's easy to hate on Apple and just lump them into a pile of bad companies for many people. And the tech crowd in particular seems to like to latch onto that negativity and let it become part of their personality. Just please put aside that cynical nature every once in a while.

I'm not encouraged by the words of Apple under Tim Cook, instead I'm encouraged by their actual actions in many areas.