Well, I'm not finding a lot inherently wrong with using new and existing apis to make other things. I would in fact argue that that is why we create apis.
However, I feel like people aren't very upfront with the fact that they are building on top of APIs. For whatever reason, there's this perception that arranging existing resources into a more valuable arrangement is somehow not a valid approach.
Oh man reading that I just realized that was exactly describing the type of consulting gigs I always get (and I'm young).
Are we a side effect of the pump-and-dump VC culture or is this a legitimate new way of developing software/products?