> Apple used to be a lot less awful in this respect, but their design and usability was still great (arguably better than today).
It's interesting that you say that because from everything I've heard talking to people I work with and in other departments who have been here a while, the opposite is true.
The conventional thought is at least over the past 2 years or so, the stress has gotten lower. Most of this is from the departure of a particular executive (no, not Steve) who was known to crack the whip really hard on people. I also hear those same people talk about how quality has suffered as a result of his departure, and they actually long for the higher-stress days when they had to work longer hours but were happier with the finished product.