“Even if that's not explicitly what Apple is doing here, they simply must know that's what it looks like. And it's just about the worst look imaginable.”

https://spyglass.org/apple-you-cowards/

Profiles in Courage: Apple Edition

When an event decline is sign of decline...

Spyglass
@marcoarment
I find it honestly crazy how none of this is taking into account that things are not normal right now.
"There's a horse in a hospital!"
With the current political climate (47, Gaza) I can imagine that there is simply a general guideline to avoid any non-scripted events.
There were rumours that the 25% iPhone tax was a direct retaliation for Cook not joining the Gulf-Grift 2025 POTUS47 tour. So I am assuming Apple is just putting their head down and battening down the hatches to "weather this storm".