Apple is a hardware company. They make money selling computers and other gadgets. Those computers and gadgets happen to run software, but that isn't what they make their money from (it's akin to a loss leader, even if it might not actually lose money).
Those customers you speak of, who stay away from the Macintosh because of the price; how much more money do you think Apple would make from them if they chose to buy a clone sold by another manufacturer? And how much money would they cost Apple in effect by taking advantage of software development subsidised elsewhere?
Killing the clones was (from a business point of view) one of the smartest things Steve Jobs did when he returned to Apple, and I can't see that decision ever being reversed.
Right. Compare the price Apple charges for a full version of OS X Lion ($29) to what Microsoft charges for a full version of Windows 7 (~$300 MSRP for the full monty, though you can get it for $250 at Amazon and other places), or the price Apple charges for Xcode ($5.00 or free, depending on the phase of the moon) compared to what Microsoft charges for Visual Studio Professional ($590 MSRP).
Those customers you speak of, who stay away from the Macintosh because of the price; how much more money do you think Apple would make from them if they chose to buy a clone sold by another manufacturer? And how much money would they cost Apple in effect by taking advantage of software development subsidised elsewhere?
Killing the clones was (from a business point of view) one of the smartest things Steve Jobs did when he returned to Apple, and I can't see that decision ever being reversed.