Its All About iOS

Apple’s success can come down to one simple thing: iOS. The operating system is far more responsive than Android, it’s intuitive and it comes with features that customers like. Without iOS, the iPad wouldn’t be as dominant as it is.

Although pricing does matter in the tablet market, it’s obviously not as important as some would have you think. If pricing were ultimately the most important feature, then Apple’s new iPad, which starts at $499, would lose out to devices like the Nexus 7 that are offered for $199. Apple’s device is popular because it delivers the right value for the price. That can’t be overlooked.

Let’s face it: Apple is still the king of the design game. The company’s iPad comes with a nicer look than competing devices, and the chances of that changing any time soon seem slim. That’s good news for Apple—and bad news for the competition.

Android has been making great strides in the mobile market, but it still has a long way to go to catch iOS. Because it’s open source, Android can’t deliver a familiar, standard experience across all products. And despite Google’s best efforts, there are some security flaws that can’t be overlooked. Android is nice, but it’s not as nice as iOS.

Apple truly understands the importance of the sales pitch. For years, the company has found a way to communicate to customers that its products are truly better than all others. Apple’s competition, on the other hand, hasn’t done anything of the sort. And their sales seem to reflect that.

Now, let’s look at individual products. The Nexus 7 launched earlier this year as an alternative to the Amazon Kindle Fire. The strategy worked, and now, Google’s tablet stands atop the cheap tablet fray. However, its sales still can’t match Apple’s iPad. Wondering why? It comes down to simplicity. The Nexus 7 is still too simple for power users, making it a non-starter for a huge portion of the market. Apple’s iPad, meanwhile, doesn’t suffer from the same problem.

Amazon’s recently announced Kindle HD is undoubtedly an appealing product. The device comes with an 8.9-inch high-definition display, supports 4G and comes in at just $499. However, Apple’s new iPad has a bigger display, a nicer design and better components. All that combines to make Apple’s option a better choice for customers.

Samsung is arguably the best competitor to Apple’s new iPad. The company’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 2, for example, is a great alternative to Apple’s slate. There’s just one issue: Apple has won a key patent ruling that could see many Samsung products banned from sale around the U.S. Look for that to be a major problem for Samsung’s chances of even coming close to matching Apple in the coming months.

When Research In Motion launched its BlackBerry PlayBook, the company said that it would be an ideal solution for corporate users. It was wrong. RIM is no threat to Apple’s dominance. And it never will be.

Finally, it’s important to note that Apple’s brand is, and always has been, its secret weapon. Consumers inherently trust Apple. And the company’s legion of ardent supporters do everything they can to find converts to use its products. No other company has that. And that alone might be why the iPad is so successful today.