Apple kicked off the touchscreen smartphone craze in 2007 with the first generation iPhone. Now in its fifth generation with the iPhone 4S, Apple has plenty of competition but every new release has so far been resoundingly popular with the tech media and consumers alike. Apple's third model, the iPhone 3GS, is still selling well and is available for free on some contract plans.

Apple fans praise the focus on design, intuitive touchscreen features and user-friendly operating system installed on all iPhone models. Critics say Apple's operating system is not 'open' enough, limiting what type of software or apps consumers can install on the device. But fans and critics alike would have to agree that despite fierce competition, Apple still sets the trend in the smartphone market.