Apple&#x27;s competitive edge going forward is probably much the same as it&#x27;s been in the recent past - well designed products, strong brand, high profits through premium sales and economies of scale keeping costs down. I&#x27;m not sure that much has changed.<p>Their sales may have levelled but they are pretty profitable. News from summer 15:<p>&gt;Apple Inc. recorded 92% of the total operating income from the world’s eight top smartphone makers in the first quarter, up from 65% a year earlier<p>With Samsung being the other profitable company. Since then:<p>&gt;Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO said in a statement. &quot;Our revenue grew 30 percent over last year to $74.6 billion<p>and:<p>&gt;Samsung Electronics warned that its profits could fall again this year, as it announced a 19 per cent fall in net profit for 2015.      The drop was largely driven by a 31 per cent operating profit decline for its IT &amp; Mobile division – dominated by the mobile phone business, which has continued to lose market share to Chinese rivals<p>Which suggests Apple may be making over 100% of phone industry profits. Not a bad competitive position.