Tim Cook’s Apple is playing it safe with an iterative approach to innovation, focusing on evolution as opposed to revolution. The company stuck to its guns yet again this year with a Retina-equipped follow-up to the iPad mini and a new variation of its full-sized tablet that boasts an array of significant improvements.

More than a quarter lighter and 20 percent thinner, the fifth generation iPad Air offers twice the performance of its predecessor and 72 times the graphical horsepower of the original iPad. It’s joined by the latest 13- and 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro models, which come with Mavericks pre-installed.

For the first time in nine iterations, the latest version of OS X is available for free along with Apple’s accompanying iWork and iLife software suites. Scott Lowe, the founder of the 1610 Group, perceives the update as a major change in strategy for the Cupertino-based premium manufacturer. Historically, every time Apple created a new market, it managed to maintain its dominant position in that space for several years. Benefiting from growth in demand over time, the company has also been able to maintain its momentum and high margins long after competition had caught up.

Recognizing that this strategy is not sustainable long term, the electronics giant is now tapping its existing customer base in a move to gain market share against Microsoft and Google. Lowe explains that:

“Apple’s users will remain faithfully in the fold and allowed to stay current with the ‘new stuff’ even after a few years of service. Of course, Apple will lose out on the revenue generated by OS upgrades and iWork sales, but if the company can increase their overall market share across both mobile and desktop spaces, it will be well worth the cost.”

Lowe speculates that Apple’s free software push may force Microsoft to follow suit and give away Windows. This will likely happen sooner rather than later seeing that Windows 8.1 has recently been made available for free for users of the operating system.

Frank Shaw, the software titan’s corporate vice president for communications, downplayed the pressure on his company in a Wednesday blog post. Not missing the opportunity to lash out at Apple, the executive wrote:

“I think they, like others, are waking up to the fact that we’ve built a better solution for people everywhere, who are getting things done from anywhere, and who don’t have hard lines between their personal and professional lives. People who want a single, simple, affordable device with the power and flexibility to enhance and support their whole day. ”