This is the real problem I see with Apple's litigation streak; it poisons the very belief system essential to the creation of the products they need to make to

This is the real problem I see with Apple's litigation streak; it poisons the very belief system essential to the creation of the products they need to make to stay ahead. Apple's belief system is that making super high quality, ground breaking products will lead them to success. But that is incompatible with the idea that all their competitors can trivially produce equally good products just by watching what Apple does. Even while the law suits are trying to send the message that Apple's innovations are protected, they actually send the opposite message: Apple is under threat because the qualities that make Apple's products great are easy to replicate. Once Apple internalises this idea, that what they do is easy to replicate, how will they be motivated to create amazing new things?