More just the state of the world. Apple doesn't need to be squeaky clean to justify a premium price tag. It only needs to be better enough that discerning customers pick it over the outrageously awful alternatives. Market forces at work, racing to the bottom of tolerability.
For a variety of reasons that I confess to not understanding, Linux doesn't seem to be an acceptable alternative for most people. I'm very glad it exists for my own use, though.