> At what point did the old Apple cross the threshold to "modern" Apple?

Probably showing my age here, but for me it was the introduction of the iPhone.

Yes, it was a wildly successful product. But it was a product primarily for consuming media (and I will grant taking photos). The iPhone marked Apple's transition from a computer company that focused on computers for creative people to a consumer electronics company.

Certainly a wise choice from a business perspective since there are a whole lot more people consuming things than making them.

But I do miss the old rainbow Apple days when I felt like they really cared about making hardware and software to empower creative people. I still use Macs, and I think they're still the best for creative work, but the company's not the same.