Apple's dominance in the smartphone and tablet markets has led to many competitors singling out the tech giant as their public enemy number one. Microsoft has been locked in battle with Apple for software and computer needs while Google's Android smartphones is going head to head with the iPhone for control of the smartphone markets. The iPad has run away from other tablets. How exactly can Apple's rivals compete with Apple?

According to a report from Time Magazine, the answer is not many companies in the tech sector can actually compete head on with Apple. Apple is conglomeration of hardware, software, services and a retail company. Most companies could barely handle being an expert in on aspect of the business but Apple does all four very, very well.

This integration of hardware, software, services and retail is one of the key factors as to why Apple is leading the tech market. It build great hardware, equips it with its own software, gives the users its own unique web services, like the iCloud and iTunes, and sells it all in its Apple stores. Compare an iPhone with other smartphones. The phone would come from one hardware maker like Samsung or Motorola and would be running a Windows Phone or Google's Android. The services could come from a third party like Google and the device would be sold in other retail stores. Apple can draw in customers by providing all these services in one stop.

Other companies could compete with Apple in one or two of these aspects. Microsoft has gone head to head with Apple in software and it has done it well but it doesn't have the same control in terms of hardware that Apple has and this has been proven with the popularity of the Macbook. HP's acquisition of the WebOS could put it in the position to challenge Apple in more than one of Apple's core strengths. HP could make the hardware and the software and have more control over the services but even then Apple has proven to be such a giant in the market that HP would have a hard time convincing consumers to switch to its products.

Another reason for Apple's success is the company's unique blend of tech and art. Apple's products aesthetically stand out from its competitors. Apple's products may seem simple but they are sophisticated machines that "just work". In the end Apple's rivals can only hope to beat the tech giant in just one aspect and not hope for a complete knock-out.