The funny part is that they don't think we notice. Some of Apple's royal attitude must come from the reign of fear that Steve has imposed upon the company's workers who must comport themselves at parties as if they were working on the Manhattan Project instead of candy colored, durable goods. In any event, an Apple portal would force Apple to become accessible to the end user on a daily basis and perhaps in a format that Apple would feel sufficiently in control of to relax a bit. After all, owning a Mac is fun, and Apple's interface with the Mac community should be made more fun than it is. Both sides could profit immensely by actualizing the untapped potential in the collaboration between Apple and the thriving Mac online community.
Portals lead to often unimagined destinations.
An Apple portal would predictably lead end users not only to the net, but also to a stronger relationship with Apple, and increase traffic and sales on all Mac related sites. A major portal project would also lead Apple into a new online dimension of nearly uncharted possibilities. It would lead Apple into a new realm of public relations that is capable of phase shifting into content provision, and ultimately into territories of multimedia, interactive infotainment which have yet to be fully defined by anyone. A portal would once again position Apple not just as a technology house but also on the cutting edge of culture. The potential is there.