Joshua Topolsky writing for The New Yorker

Part of the reason why Apple’s “me too”s end up feeling like “me-first”s. In the age of digital, execution is staggeringly important, and there isn’t a single company in existence that can pull off polish and simplicity like Apple. While other companies struggle just to get all of their devices and services talking to one another, Tim Cook and friends are worrying over the details that actually make consumers pay attention. The products don’t just work the way they should; they feel the way they should. Reducing friction, even a single click, can change the way a user perceives an entire product.

Yes, yes, yes. I got shit from a couple people yesterday (all in good fun) for Apple's "copying" other companies. But Josh is right on the money that it doesn't matter who's first to market with new technology, it's who gets it right. Apple has made a fortune by knowing how to get things right in ways customers love.

Most other companies think that being first is what's important, and nerd culture supports that culture. But that's not what most people care about, and Apple's $628 billion indicates they might have the right idea.

And then there's this:

The devices have a new kind of display that not only registers where your fingers are, but how hard they’re pressing on that particular part of the display. Pushing down harder on icons or items in a list gives you contextual menus allowing quick access to features that were previously buried or required multiple taps to reach. It is novel and certainly unique—nothing like a me-too.

So they're also nailing the genuinely new features as well... Tim Cook said Apple is firing on all cylinders, and I think he's right on point.