the big question for me is how far down the pipeline does steve's vision extend. i think his passing won't affect the care and quality for maybe the next 2 years but after that i'm worried.
Either Steve was the key to Apple's top-notch products and meteoric rise, in which case Apple has lost their magic; or he wasn't, in which case Apple will be fine. It really can't be both ways.
None of the Apple execs are the same people they were 10 years ago. This is a joint interaction between them and Steve. Those changes have the potential to continue to guide Apple successfully (but it is by no means certain).
It's not different than my kids following my beliefs if I died today.