Apple will do alright for the next few years, thanks to inertia. But the question is, will they be able to make the next iPhone (or iPad for that matter), and not one that was already thought out 80% by Steve Jobs before he passed away?

One of the more interesting things to come to light in the Steve Jobs biography is the frequency with which he was opposed to some of Apple's greatest moves. Including some where if he had gotten his way Apple quite simply could not have become what it is today, such as making a PC-compatible version of the iPod or allowing 3rd-party apps on the iPhone.

That leaves me suspecting that, purely in terms of product design, Apple could still make the next iPhone. The engine behind the creation of such products has apparently not been diminished as much as one might expect. What I'm less sure about is whether we will line up to buy it the same way now that we don't have our turtlenecked Ron Popiel to tell us how much we want one.