Apple wins by losing

I'm not sure you heard, but GOOGLE'S ANDROID OS HAS NOW SURPASSED IPHONE IS US MARKET SHARE.

No, I'm serious.

The question, of course, is, does this matter?  After this was announced, Apple's shares rose more than Google's (and market share leader, Blackberry). That stockpile of cash Apple has isn't simply because we all know their smartphone is superior to Blackberry and will ultimately surpass them in market share.

Nor is it only due to the fact that by giving away its OS, the massive ecosystem that might build up around the Android will create constant price pressure on the very people who rapidly adopt the Google platform. Nor because even at best, Google captures the lion's share of our growing mobile search.

Rather, it's all those, plus the fact that Apple continues to have a superior operating system, superior user experience, and a platform that is far more ready to accommodate all the content and services we desire in a smartphone -- from phone and apps to music and media to instant transactions to productivity and fun.