RE: Smartphones have Reached a Peak! More about The Software Now!
I felt the same way when I transitioned from my nexus 5 to my nexus 6. Unfortunately in the short term this transition to a "software as a service" model is going to drop off many smaller players.
We already see this with HTC as their revenue drops year after year because what made them a powerhouse in the industry is being abandoned for either cookie-cutter implementations or clunky original solutions that would've faired better with a little more development time.
A positive that I see out of this is that software in general will improve because the spotlight is on it instead of the phone. This may lead to multi-year partnerships and becoming a go-to solution for OEMs and individuals alike so it would be beneficial to be more open and prone to polishing their offerings.
Thanks for a great comment, I agree with much stuff you say.
Yes we will see many of the old players starting to fall off. Especially the ones who doesn't have the quickness to adapt. Both Samsung and Apple has plenty of liquid money to last a very long time in the industry. The profits by selling devices will probably shrink and they will try to create more revenue with better software experiences to up-sell people stuff!
The companies that will last is the ones who will focus more on creating a better customer experience. Something that makes people feel more special. Customer loyality is changing a lot in these Internet times. People expect so much more from a company. That they actually care about you as a person.