The speaker expresses frustration with Apple's iOS 18, highlighting issues like constant phone bricking and malfunctioning apps, particularly the Photos app. They criticize Apple for not having a robust testing process to catch these issues before release. The speaker argues that Apple's decline in product quality is due to the absence of key figures like Steve Jobs and Johnny Ive, who had a strong sense of taste. Without them, Apple lacks the 'taste' that once set it apart, and instead relies heavily on data to make decisions. This approach, while useful, lacks the intuitive understanding of user experience that taste provides. The speaker contrasts this with companies like Facebook and Google, which use data as a scaffolding to catch issues but may lack the same level of taste. They suggest that very few people have the 'cutting-edge' taste needed to create exceptional user experiences, and without it, companies struggle to maintain high standards.