I think the biggest reason Apple still supports old hardware is they're still selling it (see: iPhone 3GS and now iPad 2).
That being said, it is interesting how Apple's support of old hardware is the dual of Google's.
Google does a bad job of getting OS updates to older hardware, but they do an impressively good job of supporting their applications on older hardware and OSes. Outside of the deliberate exception of the Chrome Beta, I can't think of an official Google app for Android that doesn't support at least Froyo and many go back further. My G1 (running Donut) was still getting Google app updates for a good chunk of last year. I happen to know that because I picked it up for a memorial tweet on the G1's third anniversary and was surprised with all the update notifications I got.
Meanwhile, Apple is very good about getting OS updates to older devices. But when you look at their app support, it doesn't look nearly so good. Everyone talks about Siri, but did you also know that the original iPad doesn't support iPhoto or iMovie (see: http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/9/2856499/iphoto-ios-app-ipad... )? iMovie is particularly damning because the first iOS version (for the iPhone 4) was released less than 3 months after the original iPad.
And note that while older Apple devices nearly all get the new version number, sometimes that's about all they get in the way of features from the upgrade.
I understand why Android geeks are desperate to have the very latest OS version running on their device (as a weird point of OCD-geek pride). I have no idea why Apple fans should care so much about what version number Android phones have when Google is near constantly updating the software that runs of them. Seems to run counter to their stance on the features vs. specs debate on hardware, where user experience is more important than the number attached to something.
"Normal people" on the other hand, clearly don't give a damn, if they are even aware of this "issue", and have no reason to.
That being said, it is interesting how Apple's support of old hardware is the dual of Google's.
Google does a bad job of getting OS updates to older hardware, but they do an impressively good job of supporting their applications on older hardware and OSes. Outside of the deliberate exception of the Chrome Beta, I can't think of an official Google app for Android that doesn't support at least Froyo and many go back further. My G1 (running Donut) was still getting Google app updates for a good chunk of last year. I happen to know that because I picked it up for a memorial tweet on the G1's third anniversary and was surprised with all the update notifications I got.
Meanwhile, Apple is very good about getting OS updates to older devices. But when you look at their app support, it doesn't look nearly so good. Everyone talks about Siri, but did you also know that the original iPad doesn't support iPhoto or iMovie (see: http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/9/2856499/iphoto-ios-app-ipad... )? iMovie is particularly damning because the first iOS version (for the iPhone 4) was released less than 3 months after the original iPad.