Creating a complex product that features an elegant simplicity—like an iPhone—is exponentially more difficult than building an elegantly simple, but basic product.
To the user, the two might seem similar but underneath the hood they couldn't be further apart.
I remember back to PS Audio's first product, the standalone phono stage. This elegantly simple product defines the idea of a basic product. It didn't even have an on/off switch. Plug and play.
Compare that to a modern day Stellar phono stage. Both units perform the same function: amplifying the output of your phono cartridge and delivering that signal to your main preamplifier.
The basic PS phono had no means of loading the cartridge, adjusting the gain, setting filters, or (as mentioned) even turning the unit on or off. Contrast that with today's Stellar phono and all its many settings and multiple inputs to optimize performance of your records.
Basic vs. simple
There's a world of difference between the two.
