Well as an Elementary developer I'd like to clarify a few things here: Pantheon is what we call our shell, in our view this includes our wingpanel, slingshot as launcher, plank as new dock made by some docky developers and our other apps(postler, Dexter ...)

Also because you mentioned not Bering as polished as apple, we simply don't have enough manpower to accomplished our vision at this time, but we get closer every day.