I don't really like Apple as a company either - they've changed so much from their roots. But then, like any group with a history of success and failures, it ill behooves them to play by another's rules. I lamented that Metallica went alternative back in the day, that U2 went 'back' to their old style in 2000, and a lot of other things.
There isn't a good company on the face of the planet - not even ones who swear they are.
But what I do like is that for the most part - indeed, more so than any other DAP maker I've used - things just work. I've had gapless since 2005 (though I used iPods only from late 2007), very good linear headphone out performance since 2008 (no one else has maintained that across the board), very low amounts of hiss across the board, few headaches - my touch is by far the better player than my Fuze, which as much as SANSA hate Apple, is like a mangled iPod.
The EQ sucks though. I've not tested iOS4's EQ yet, but I assume that it will still distort and top out. That sucks but oh well. That is really the only performance issue I have with Apple audio products. Everything else is at least as good or better than the competition.
