Despite the fact everyone is trying their darndest to push Apple off its mega-phone top spot, they'll all fail. And that's not because the rival handsets aren't on some level better than iPhone - many are. But that's not the point. The iPhone will continue to be the best, and here's why:

1) Bigger isn't always better

Even when the iPhone was out all on its own in the market, some of its specs were a bit pokey to say the least. Just a 2-megapixel camera when others were pushing 5-megapixel, and neither 3G or GPS built in. It took a whole year for Apple to address the last two and the camera is still stuck at a circa-2004 resolution.

Apple is no stranger to this tactic, however - take a look at the MacBook, for example. Try hard enough and you can probably find an equivalent Windows spec laptop for around half the price. But people still buy the MacBook - even discounting stupid people it's clear that there's more to Apple's products than raw specs alone.

2) Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

And just as we saw with the iPhone 3G - when the competition does catch up and then overtake it, all Apple has to do is up the spec just enough to get everyone to go out and buy the new version.

Note: that doesn't mean overtake anything out there at all. Apple doesn't need to - in fact, the longer it holds off upgrading that 2-megapixel camera, the better chances it has of sneaking in another upgraded model without having to mess with anything else.

Looking forward to a 5-megapixel iPhone with 32GB of storage? Chances are you won't actually get both with the next refresh. Not unless someone gets really close to properly challenging the iPhone. Which again is unlikely.

3) It's about the software, silly

Well, actually it's about the package as a whole and how it all works together. But Apple's software plays a huge part in that. For instance, the reason the iPhone is so good is because it looks and feels like the made up whizzbang technology you see in movies. It's nothing like the boring everyday tech you fight a mostly losing battle with on a daily basis.

Instead, you swish and swoop your way through the interface, pinching here, flicking there. Once you know the gestures, it just works. However, this is down to the combination of the multi-touch screen and iPhone OS. One without the other and it wouldn't be such a desirable piece of kit.

Apple's key strength is tying, not necessarily the latest and greatest technology, but the right technology to its killer software. The iPhone is the result and until the other companies can get both sides right, then they won't get anywhere close. And if they do, then you'll get that 20-megapixel, 128GB, lie-detecting, teleport-enabled iPhone you've been waiting ever so patiently for.