Oh, since yesterday then...

Cool! I have tons of 8 year old BeOS apps that I need to run. Oh, wait...

You're contradicting your later statement that you're being objective. You're not - you're using generalizations and spurious arguments to make your case. The phrase "under their spell" is inflamatory language, implying that there's something inherently evil going on. If Apple were shipping total crap that didn't work, then perhaps you could view what they're doing as evil. However, the quality of Apple products and services is at least as good as anyone else in the industry, so they are no more evil than, say, HTC/Google. And your cop-out on citing specific references just further reinforces that you're making generalizations without any specific proof. In fact, none of the articles I read based on googling your phrase had much to say at all about quality vs marketing.

1. 1) Apple has expanded it's installed base significantly first with the iPod then the iPhone (and, during that time, the Mac as well), so your argument that they survive on the "loyal and fanatical fan base" is, well, utterly wrong. Just look at the Republican Party for an example of what relying solely on your base gets you.
2. 2) Please cite all of these so-called "experts all over the globe." Such exaggerated statements have little basis in fact.

Since you started with the sweeping hyperbole, I'll add mine: the vast majority of users of Apple products don't give a rats ass about any perceived ego boost that using said product gives them. They use them because they work - consistently, reliably and without getting in the way of what they want to do. That's always been what Apple does well and, for the most part, their competition fail to do well.