I don't completely disagree, but wouldn't you agree that for every company so amazing at design as Apple and Google there are 100 or 1000 who are successful for

I don't completely disagree, but wouldn't you agree that for every company so amazing at design as Apple and Google there are 100 or 1000 who are successful for other reasons? And therefore just saying "better design" is not IN GENERAL something you can compete on? Furthermore, wouldn't you also agree those two companies also have a tremendous quantity of innovation, and never take the gas off innovation, to an extend probably not feasible or necessary with other companies? I would agree with you that if you have the design talent of Apple, plus the output of Apple, plus the marketing success of Apple, that this is of course a wonderful advantage. But that's rare... maybe other paths to success are more practical for many founders out there.