While many analysts were hoping for a newly redesigned iPhone 5, the huge demand shows that the 4S clearly has enough exciting features to have customers still lining up in record numbers for latest offering, while once chief competitor Research in Motion flounders coming up with hot new products.

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Another much-maligned competitor, BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion, has actually seen its short interest decline of late, off month-ago highs.

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But while the UK is debating by how much it will cut research funding, our competitor nations like the US and Germany are increasing their investment.

BBC: Viewpoint: Science 'critical for UK economic future'

That tactic didn't pull many new users away from leading competitor Windows Media Player, says Forrester Research analyst James McQuivey.

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"We have some way to go to match the public and private investment levels in research and development of some of our competitor economies but we have the advantage of already being truly world class in many areas of science, " he said.

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With economies of scale in manufacturing, procurement, distribution, marketing, sales, financing and research and development, you could get so giant no competitor could effectively attack your products or prices.

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" Research in Motion, from its BlackBerry Twitter account, called Jobs "a great visionary and respected competitor.

CNN: Mark Milian,