I suspect people don't see it as a quality comment. Generally short or insubstantial comments receive a more positive response when the tone is positive. Negative, insubstantial comments tend to be downvoted.

(I didn't up or down vote, I'm just echoing how it reads to me)

Edit: Had your original comment included that extra backstory/justification, it surely wouldn't have been hammered with downvotes. Without it, it just reads like snark.

Lesson learned; thanks!

+1 for learning. Sometimes my witty comments get misconstrued for snark so I've just stopped leaving these types of comments here. Speaks for the mostly positive S/N ratio here. I don't want to degrade it.

I would have also liked to specifically know which other innovators you admired at Apple and what they moved on to.

Ah, sure. Below are a handful (off the top of my head) that I admire:

Sal Soghoian: automation engineering expert "relieved" of duties for whatever reasons; consulting now I believe

Tony Fadell: went on to Nest, acquired by Google; not sure what he is doing now/next

Mike Matas: Omni Group, then co-launched Delicious Monster, then co-launched Nest with Tony Fadell after leaving Apple; I believe he is a UI designer now at Facebook.

Scott Forstall: controversial pick I'm sure, but early NeXT engineer, martyr of skeuomorphism; last seen producing a broadway musical or a play I think

Steve Jobs: 'nuff said.

John Callas: While typing this I just recalled that this famed cryptographer joined Apple sometime last year. If he is still at Apple, then I was admittedly off by one in my original statement ;-)

maybe because of how negative it is. The idea that there is not 1 innovator at apple is non-sense. A lot of misses lately, but stuff like AirPods show there is still lots of talent at apple

Yeah, but that's not what I said.

And for going on about downvoting.

That particular egg came before the chicken.