Introduction: Aim of the Book and Methodology

This introduction provides a synopsis of the main arguments covered in this book and a description of the methodology used. The book is divided into two parts. The first part offers an overview of how Apple’s iPhone changed the mobile phone industry, and how two smartphone start-ups attempted to make a difference within the hypercompetitive environment that followed the iPhone revolution. The second part examines the evolution of the luxury smartphone industry, starting from the analysis of the firm that pioneered this product category, and later focusing on the case of a start-up trying to create a new demand within this product category. The analysis of start-ups presented in this book is based on both secondary sources and in-depth interviews with entrepreneurs and industry experts.