It seems like people are comparing current Apple products with a mythology of Apple products that never actually existed -- an invented fiction where in the past the hardware and software was the height of perfection.
Every Apple device and software product ever has had a number of issues, many significant. As you mentioned, however, the competitors hardly do better -- the litany of absolutely devastating faults with Dell devices I've experienced (paramount being that they never lasted more than a small fraction of the promised battery life) makes Apple look untouchable.
Apple should do better. For one MBPs should have something better than a cheesy 1 year warranty, especially given the fears about keyboards et al -- it essentially forces an AppleCare+ purchase. But the claims that this is a deadly direction seem dubious.
I constantly hear the phrase "This wouldn't have happened under Jobs" and it pisses me off. Apple had loads of problems with hardware under Jobs.
You're right Apple should do better. I always factor AppleCare into the machine cost the same way I used to with Lenovo's 3 year on-site warranty upgrade after they changed it to depot by default and Dell's Plus warranty option, etc.
IMHO Apple isn't any better or worst than they have ever been but they are getting cheaper with things like removing the AC extension cable, not including a USB-C to USB-A dongle like Dell, etc. do
Considering how much of a lottery it is buying a Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft laptop is though there isn't much you can do. Apple is usually 20-30% more expensive but I have easily wasted 200+% in time waiting around for Dell engineers or shipping a unit back to Microsoft (as they don't even offer on-site in Europe!).
Every Apple device and software product ever has had a number of issues, many significant. As you mentioned, however, the competitors hardly do better -- the litany of absolutely devastating faults with Dell devices I've experienced (paramount being that they never lasted more than a small fraction of the promised battery life) makes Apple look untouchable.
Apple should do better. For one MBPs should have something better than a cheesy 1 year warranty, especially given the fears about keyboards et al -- it essentially forces an AppleCare+ purchase. But the claims that this is a deadly direction seem dubious.