"There was one company not in attendance, though, and they served as the proverbial elephant in the room that no one wanted to discuss. I heard them referred to cagily as “a company in California” or “a certain fruit company.” Their glowing logo illuminated nearly every laptop in the room, and yet it seemed like nobody dared speak their name. "

Why wouldn't people just say "Apple?" Is this hyperbole or is there some reason why people are afraid to directly criticize apple at a conference that apple isn't even at?