Not sure why this is being downvoted, Apple’s hardware reliability has become horrible.
Every Apple device I’ve purchased in the past few years has suffered from a defect: AirPods Pro, iPhone X, 2019 MacBook Pro, iPad. And this doesn’t include Batterygate.
That's why. Even if they're lost some of their lustre (and, if we're being literal, could be "on it's way" in the sense that it was the most valuable company in the world and might've dropped a few percentage points).
Not only the past few years, heck, they launched a phone you couldn't hold properly and people lapped it up. That's not stopped their offerings not only being the best in their class, but often the only products of note (AirPods, iPads, Watch...).
Apple doesn't have to beat Apple. They just have to beat the best of the rest - and apart from perhaps Samsung and Huawei in phones, they're looking pretty peachy still.
Every Apple device I’ve purchased in the past few years has suffered from a defect: AirPods Pro, iPhone X, 2019 MacBook Pro, iPad. And this doesn’t include Batterygate.