You got it. It's a strategy employed by the automobile industry as well: high-end loss leaders that "signal the brand" and cultivate loyalty among enthusiasts.

Apple's claim is staked on high-margin products, so it needs an elite cachet much more than say... Xiaomi or Dell. And you can signal that to consumers with one-of-a-kind high-end products that operate on the absolute cutting-edge of various creative, technical, and scientific niches.