Apple produces a high quality product and OS for a high price.
Bose produces a mediocre at best product for a high price. I fail to see the comparison.
I guess you fail to see the parallels in end-user targeting, producing a 'does the job' product with a "halo effect" of presentation, marketing and
apparent quality. Intriguing how you can see it in one due to negative peers, yet can't see it in the other due to positive peers.
The Bose Triport On-Ear for example is one of the most slickly put together, best-presented portable headphones I've seen at the price with the best apparent build quality. The sound however is only for people who haven't heard other - uglier, less sleekly built - phones in the same price category, or just have tin ears. Also despite the premium materials employed, the Bose can't take the everyday beating that many other phones can. Others may have a better name in truly pro circles, but among the majority of the populace the Bose name has the impression of premium quality. The marketing, product positioning, focus on consumer support and presentation very successfully reinforces that fact.
Ring any bells?
In fact, I can't really think of a better analogy for the comparison between e.g. the Dell Precision and a Mac Pro than the comparison between a Sennheiser HD25-1 and the Bose On-Ear. One looks kind of clunky, is apparently put together rather roughly, is just a bit more expensive, is fully rebuildable without much effort and is pretty well supported for professional users - as well as sounding great and being able to take a through beating. The other looks great, is apparently put together really well, is not very serviceable but is very well supported for consumers at their stores - but sounds pretty mediocre, and can't take any punishment. And that Sesshi has both, has a use for both, but prefers the former because it's actually better if you know what you're talking about
