
The smartphone market is not competitive. Whether or not Apple holds an anti-competitive monopoly is a matter for the courts to decide, but it seems clear that the smartphone market is designed to lock buyers into one brand, and that is bad for everyone.
Take a look at the list of the best phones published by many tech websites, like CNET. There is usually a best iPhone and a best Android phone, and never the two shall meet. Our own TechRadar list of the best phones you can buy in the US includes a best overall phone, but we may not bother with that superlative for much longer.