Ever since I bought my first desktop computer back in 1982 – an Apple II – I have looked forward to the arrival of a new Apple product with excitement, tinged with a little trepidation.

I expect Apple to deliver cutting-edge cool, cleverly designed products that marry the worlds of computing and consumer electronics. For the most part, it has lived up to my expectations. Yet whatever I say about Apple, I know I will offend either its critics, who complain about the company’s penchant for “form over function” and proprietary formats, or its legions of enthusiasts and fashionistas for whom Steve Jobs can do no wrong.