Comment by Throwaway23412

I would argue that networking services, backend services, and apps are indeed much higher level than the things Apple succeeds at (hardware, industrial design, and operating system).

In fact, Steve Jobs never even wanted third-party apps on the iPhone (http://www.theguardian.com/technology/appsblog/2011/oct/24/s...). So, it's understandable why Apple has struggled with their networking services, backend services, and apps: such concerns weren't even remotely a part of Apple's DNA.