It amazes me how many companies, even Forbes, use Apple to grab headlines. This article is about nothing. The two arguments being used are litigation and switching maps? Let me elaborate for a minute on each:
The litigation against Samsung are a necessary evil. Nowhere does the article mention that Apple was asking Samsung for license agreements pretrial. Apple should defend their innovation, else we will get the refrigerator market, where every piece looks exactly the same and does the same thing. This is good for consumers because manufacturers only compete on price, however in the long run it is terrible for consumers because innovation is non-existent.
The maps debate is getting old. Apple had to make a move away from Google because of turn-by-turn navigation. It was an easy talking point for Apple competitors. Apple will now be allowed to innovate in the maps arena which should allow for greater maps from Apple and Google in the future. This will be so much better for the consumer.
In both these cases Apple is not making the mistake of these other companies. Apple is looking out for the customer by allowing innovation and making it expensive to copy instead of innovate. Both will lead to better customer experiences as time passes.