> Are Apple devices really seen as a status device?
By the sort of person who'd rather pay extra for a Mac than just use Linux, sure. I remember seeing an acquaintance wax eloquent to another acquaintance about how perfectly designed the iPhone is (it's not: it's a plain black box) — it was really just a way of showing to his acquaintance how wise and clever he is to appreciate the emperor's new clothes.
> Maybe I don't see it because I don't need validation.
Me neither, which is why I haven't bought an Apple computer in this millennium.