Le “metacompetenze” tecnologiche e di mercato nei settori della convergenza digitale: il caso Apple iPhone∗

This paper describes the consequences of digital convergence on the mobile phone industry. Over the last years, the digitalization and data compression have enabled a growing integration of functions into formely separate products or services and the emergence of hybrid mobile devices, the smarphones. In the last quarterlies, the business of smartphone results the fastest-growing market segment and the most resistant to declining mobile phone market. In this business the Apple iPhone launch has produced a clear effect on sales volumes. The paper analyses the impact that Apple is having on competitive dynamics of the mobile phone industry and investigates its technological and market-driven meta-competencies to managing the opportunities created by digital convergence.