It won't be hard for other manufacturers to enter the tablet space. Competing with the iPad's integration, build quality, and usability, though, will be.
Apple nearly went bankrupted, mostly because even if the hardware was good, their Mac OS was a piece of shit that started paling in comparison to Windows NT, OS/2 or even newcomers like BeOS, while Win 95 gave you approximately the same value but with increased compatibility with older / current apps.
They can't keep their premium market if you can get the same quality for a lower price and a lot more freedom to tinker. Google coupled with HTC/Motorola can deliver that quality.
Their only option is to keep innovating and keep infusing mass-media with Stevey-juice ... but that's not sustainable.
I don't get why they haven't learned anything from their past mistakes. Lock-down, patent threats (it was copyright in the old days) ... do they really think these will work?
Surely Apple has control of the full stack, but it's not like history isn't repeating itself :-)
People paying money for things like features.
As for your example, first, it's requires too much qualification to really work on a feature matrix. Second, you really think that Apple can't/won't support app backgrounding or a more open app store if their current offering really starts hurting them?
Apple nearly went bankrupt until Steve Jobs came on board again.
Yes Steve Jobs will eventually quit and yes that might be a challenge that might even lead to their demise.
But Steve Jobs will be leaving something very valuable behind.
A rock solid digital ecosystem that is only starting to show it's strength.
Apple was quite successful in the late eighties / early nineties, when Jobs wasn't even on board. Notable product from that time is the Macintosh portable (a friend got a hold of one, and it's pretty sweet :)). Later, their strategy on licensing Mac OS to third parties was actually profitable, but it wasn't enough (too little, too late).
I know you love Steve, he was a part of the rebirth. But let's focus on facts, shall we? ... I see far fewer appraisals for the engineers behind their miracle ;)
They have also 26b in retained earnings. Do their shareholders get enough return on capital gain? (to answer myself: if you bought it 1 year ago, then yes; 2 years ago - no).