Macintosh's high margins have always been derived from a strictly segmented product line, even pre-Jobs. There's simply too many "holes" in their line to support a consumer-based clone strategy without it turning into a race to the bottom.
What Jobs-era Apple realized is that a simple, distinct product line actually easier to market to consumers than a complex full-line. Easier to understand, easier to buy, less paralysis of choice.
The one place the lack of clones is hurting them is in Enterprise. Apple doesn't really want to be in that market, but they could outsource server/workstations to someone like HP for sales to larger companies only.
What Jobs-era Apple realized is that a simple, distinct product line actually easier to market to consumers than a complex full-line. Easier to understand, easier to buy, less paralysis of choice.
The one place the lack of clones is hurting them is in Enterprise. Apple doesn't really want to be in that market, but they could outsource server/workstations to someone like HP for sales to larger companies only.