To Apple

Apple, kudos to you and your iPhone. I still don't own one, but I still envy those who do. Lets take a look at the market for the iPhone...

There are a lot of competitors when it comes to cell phones, but lets face it, no matter what Samsung, LG, HTC, or Blackberry do, they can't seem to match up with the iPhone. There is something special about it. There is definitely the threat of substitutes, but because you've differentiated your iPhone so well, you still dominate. In the past you've put yourself in the position where the iPhone was only available through AT&T, not giving your buyers a lot of power. Millions of people have switched to AT&T just to get the iPhone, and I am among them (though I still don't own one, I switched because of the warm fuzzy feeling I get knowing that I could easily upgrade when funds permit).

Apple, in your iPhone you have resources and capabilities that are very valuable to average consumers and businessmen. You've got the rare stuff that makes you dominant, and you've done SO well that although literally every competitor has tried to imitate and outdo the iPhone, consumers still crave the iPhone.

Although I did recently make the switch to AT&T, I love what you've done by opening the iPhone up for Verizon customers. You're opening yourself up to millions of people you didn't have access to before. Verizon customers no longer have to settle for HTC or Palm phones that don't quite measure up. They will be more than happy to pay for the coveted iPhone. Yes, you've sacrificed a little by giving the customers more buying power, but you really won't feel the consequences of that; AT&T and Verizon will.

You've set yourself up to capture even more market share in an industry where you were already envied. Yes, I am biased, but I have to ask myself: are companies still going to compete to outdo the iPhone, or are they just going to start competing with themselves to settle for 2nd best (as usual)?