Because of this, Apple has since the release of the first generation iPhones in 2007, released at least one new model every year. As consistent as the yearly release is, similarly each model (with the exception of the iPhone 5C and the iPhone SE) has also consistently featured the upgrades needed for the model to be able to compete. While some model upgrades have been generally considered incremental, the steady growth in sales each year suggests that each upgrade have been sufficient enough, and that Apple’s efforts to remain relevant within the market have been successful.
A key strategic element of Apple’s, regardless of the product, is offering seamless integration between Apple products. Most Apple products now work in very similar ways, and applications look and operate similarly as well, whether one uses the iPod Touch or the MacBook. This is an offer that no competitor is able to match quite yet, as other brands that offer similar products – for example Samsung – only offers the hardware, but not the