We're not comparing Apple engineers to some guy flipping burgers, but to engineers at other comparable companies. So "$X should be enough" is not the metric. There's no cutoff for "well compensated". It depends on how much profit the company makes and how much you bring in.
Apple is notorious for not compensating its people well, given that it doesn't have the most generous of salaries compared to other FAANGs and has more strict working conditions - while having the biggest profit margins.
>If people thought the deal they have is unfair and they can get a better deal elsewhere, they'd leave in droves, but that's not the case.
Many top devs have left Apple over the years exactly for such reasons. And people factor in other stuff too, for many years for many employees Apple was more based on instilling a cult-like, reality-distortion-based hold to be "glad to be working at Apple" than actual conpensation.
You know, of the "Apple employees get to do some really meaningful and impactful work" variety...
>Apple's revenues were down 5% in 2022.
Why, does Apple share its profits with employees the years that they're up 5%?