Apple didn’t steal squat from Xerox. Microsoft, on the other hand, was forced to settle with Apple to the tune of something like $150 million if memory serves me correctly.
Microsoft saved Apple. I’m sure that costs any gui issues that linger.
Apple did not create the GUI they’re often accredited for. The WYSIWYG concept was from Xerox’s PARC project that Steve Jobs was exposed to.
Even the original Mac had immediate competition and overlap in the development lifecycles of competitors. The original Mac was released in 1984. The Amiga and Atari ST were released in 1985. All had mouse driven UI’s. The Amiga, with all the co-processors, was far more capable. The Xerox Star platform was released in 1981.
The only reason Apple survived was because they had clever marketing. They appealed to education institutions as the “creative” computer, which took hold...especially with desktop publishing. Even then, I had superior desktop publishing software on an Amiga. At university I received a B+ on an assignment instead of an A. The reason I was given was that I had superior software (from a Mac loving professor).
Apple survives due to good marketing and the higher prices of their products which are tolerated because they control an aligned hardware-software combination. People are willing to pay for it when there’s cheaper alternatives. They have a niche in the market. They’re not as brilliant as their followers believe. They did not invent the tablet/smartphone, I worked on such a device in 2001 (Intel product), it was never released but there were many others working on similar technology.
I will never buy Apple products.