Maybe. I think there is some real insight in this viewpoint.

I think there was a time, long ago, that I justifiably believed that some of Apple's design was forward thinking. But, I think they are now more like WhatsApp, who apparently have a unit that is charged with ensuring that the UI does not change for fear of unsettling users.

I think this translates to - 'Apple has to play it safe as it is too big a company to make risky changes'. Ie, it can no longer do revolutionary things for fear of a collapse in faith of the consumer masses rather than the avidly convinced first adapters.