Farhad Manjoo, New York Times:

Since becoming the first trillion-dollar corporation last summer, Apple has battled a souring assessment on Wall Street. The iPhone is the most profitable product in the history of business, but more than a decade after its debut, pretty much everyone on the planet who can afford one already has one, and many customers see little reason to upgrade.

So now, instead of selling better stuff to more people, Apple’s new plan is to sell more stuff to the same people.

And:

As I watched Apple’s event, I felt the future shrink a little. In its gilded middle age, Apple is turning into something like a digital athleisure brand, stamping out countless upscale accessories for customers who love its one big thing, a company that has lost sight of the universe and is content merely to put a ding in your pocketbook.

Yeesh. Farhad really doesn’t like Apple. While the picture he paints might ring true to many, it purposely misses the remarkable in service to the complaints.

Apple’s health efforts alone deserve prominent recognition. The Apple Watch is an incredible piece of hardware and it has saved many lives by putting a low-end ECG on every buyer’s wrist. That is no small thing.

Add in all the health-related research that Apple’s health initiatives made possible. This is certainly a ding in the universe, a ding that is destined to grow significantly.

How about the remarkable AirPods, with that H1 chip and Hey Siri, small enough to fit in your ear. Again, tip of the iceberg of what’s coming.

And think about all the doors Apple has opened, all the tech folks Apple has birthed and influenced. iPhone begat Android, have no doubt.

Yes, it’s true that the MacBook Keyboard is a stumble. There are other examples where Apple has lost its way. But let’s not lose sight of the fact that shareholders demand growth at all times. That Tim and company have kept their commitment to privacy and continue to develop some remarkable technology while continuing to serve the ravenous growth demands of Wall Street is no small thing.