Can Apple's 'hardware + software + ecosystem' model be explained by first principles as the fundamental source of user experience control?

Certainly. Let's simplify this by imagining a top chef preparing a perfect dish for you.

Starting from first principles, what is "user experience"? Simply put, it's your complete feeling when using something – whether it's enjoyable, smooth, and reassuring.

So, how do you ensure that "enjoyment"?

Imagine this chef (Apple).

1. He must personally select the freshest, most suitable ingredients (hardware). He can't just buy them randomly from the market, because others' ingredients might be inconsistent in quality – some tomatoes sour, some sweet – making the dish's taste uncontrollable. Therefore, he grows his own tomatoes and raises his own cattle (develops his own chips, designs screens, and device bodies). This way, he ensures every ingredient is just right, not a bit too much or too little, perfectly realizing his culinary vision.

2. He must have his own exclusive recipe and cooking techniques (software). How to cut the ingredients, how much heat to use, what to add first and what later – he decides it all. If he uses someone else's recipe (like running Android on an iPhone), the taste would completely change; it would no longer be his creation. He customizes the recipe for his own ingredients (iOS is deeply optimized for iPhone hardware), maximizing the ingredients' potential, for example, making it more power-efficient and smoother.

3. He also needs to design what plate to use, what wine to pair, and in what environment to eat (ecosystem). When the main course is served, are the appetizers, desserts, and wine harmonious? Is the dining environment comfortable? This is the ecosystem. Your photos seamlessly sync from phone to computer (iCloud), headphones automatically switch between devices, your watch unlocks your computer... This "seamless connection" comfort elevates the entire "dining experience." If the plate belongs to someone else, and the wine is randomly chosen, the overall feeling would be greatly diminished.

So, returning to first principles: To control the quality and style of the final product 100%, from start to finish, every critical step in the production process must be controlled.

Apple's "hardware + software + ecosystem" model is the ultimate embodiment of this principle in consumer technology. It's not about "control for control's sake," but because they believe it's the only fundamental way to ensure they deliver that "Apple flavor" – the top-tier, stable, and seamless user experience they promise – to users. By keeping all variables in their own hands, they eliminate all uncertainties, ultimately making you feel that "it just feels good to use."