> Apple's hardware is perhaps only marginally better than the competition's

Microsoft and other brands are getting better at making quality hardware faster than Apple is innovating in the space.

Apple still has the lead in their os just feeling so much nicer and solid to use but again it's still stagnant while windows is slowly evolving and when it comes down to it you can't even build a mac with the power you're working with on the Windows side so it stops really being an option if one means your work can be done multiple times faster (GPGPU workloads for example) than on the Mac side.

It definitely also helps that Apple has been churning out laptops with heaps of major issues. In recent years they've had issues with their keyboards, screens, and audio hardware. Plus they don't do any board-level repair or allow anyone else to, so if you're stuck with a dead mainboard outside of the warranty period the solution is basically "say goodbye to your data and buy a new laptop."

...and then not complain when they can't distribute to Apple users.

All these whinging developers seem to have forgotten that they made an agreement with Apple which included:

"10. Term and Termination. Apple may terminate or suspend you ... at any time in Apple’s sole discretion."

Don't like the terms, don't sign the contract. I learned that the hard way at the age of 19, it wasn't in tech, it was a housing contract, but I learned my lesson:

Before you agree to anything with legal standing, read it and reread it. Understand it, and if you don't seek help to get that understanding. Once you understand the terms you have to make a choice to agree or walk away. Then you have to live with the consequences.

This is the basis of legal justice (as it stands) and much of society relies on it.