This is well-illustrated by that Delta(?) promo that got shared around the internet a few years ago that (without authorisation I believe) touted the number of Apple employees they were shuttling to and from China on a *daily^ basis.

For a layperson like me, this sort of day-in day-out contact with the supply chain puts this justification will within the realm of reason.

I also can’t imagine that “hardware” and “software” teams aren’t in complete isolation. At the very least, being a more hardware-focused company potentially affects Apple’s overall company culture in a way that would have this impact on their hiring practices.