Apple's new MacBook Neo costs just $599 and runs on the same A18 Pro chip found in the iPhone 16 Pro. The device demonstrates that smartphones have long been capable of running full desktop operating systems. Yet while the MacBook Neo offers unrestricted software installation, the iPhone remains locked down, requiring users to download apps only through Apple's App Store.

This artificial distinction exists despite both devices sharing identical hardware specifications - same CPU cores, GPU cores, and RAM. The restrictions on iPhones aren't about safety but profit. Apple maintains control over what software can run on mobile devices while allowing complete freedom on laptops using the same processors. Users cannot access the filesystem, run arbitrary code, or install alternative operating systems like Asahi Linux on their iPhones.

The author argues this represents a fundamental violation of device ownership rights. Mobile devices are essentially handheld computers artificially restricted to protect corporate profits and government controls. With the MacBook Neo proving iPhones can run MacOS, the case for device freedom becomes even stronger. Users who've already paid for these powerful computers should have the right to modify and repurpose them as they see fit, whether that means installing different operating systems or using an old iPhone as a web server.