[montagg]

It’s, hilariously, the opposite: the exposure of this idea makes every other product better and Apple can’t change it (until they do).

Product tying is not a thing you can bypass.

This is idea is independent of whether Apple’s strategy is good or bad, legal or not. Product tying can’t be undermined, or it’s not actually a problem.

[BoredPositron]

I still don't see the illegal part. I am in VFX and have three dongles connected to use specific software packages...

[acka]

Dongle-based license management or DRM isn't the same as product tying; each dongle just validates the license for the use of a piece of software. But forcing customers to only use ink cartridges from a specific brand, deliberately rejecting or invalidating third-party refill options? That is a form of product tying, and it is being deemed illegal in more and more countries.