Apple-like

In the last few months there has been a lot of discussion of people’s hopes for the future of Apple. With the announced leadership changes, it is a logical period of reflection and projection of hopes for the future. A recurring theme I’ve heard is a desire for Apple to “return to its roots” or “go back to what made it great”. I don’t personally feel those feelings very much. Maybe I’d describe its situation as a ship which has become a bit unbalanced by some structural choices and so is listing to the side, meaning it takes more intentional effort to stay on course. I would gladly appreciate it if new leadership were able to shift some ballast around to make the ship run truer, but the general direction remains unchanged. A more productive line of thinking this conversation has prompted in me, which I’ve been ruminating on for weeks, is what exactly is Apple-like. What makes Apple…Apple? I am proud to call myself an “Apple Developer” and not just because I develop on Apple platforms,…