Apple Inc. boasts one of the most versatile vertical integration strategies in the smartphone industry. The company produces its own iOS operating systems along with wide ranging apps, such as iTunes and iCloud, for its smartphones. Apple retails most of its apps online through Apple Store. This is unlike other companies, such as Samsung, that use Google’s Android operating system in their smartphones. Nonetheless, these other smartphone companies significantly implement forward vertical integration in the production and distribution of smartphones and the accompanying apps. A small or medium-size business in the smartphone industry can draw inspiration from the vertical integration strategies that these industry leaders implement.