I think the main reason people buy iPhones is because they work not because of exotic features.
This is like why people buy the Toyota Camry. This a boring car that isn't even very fast. However as long as you change the oil it will drive for 250,000 miles with almost no repairs. It sells well because it is extremely low maintenance...that's the main reason.
So it has nothing to do with marketing. Toyota can run flashy advertisements or no advertisements at all and still sell a ton of them year after year.
If somebody makes a more reliable car then Toyota can start worrying...otherwise they just cruise along at their own speed and don't care about anybody else no matter what the latest gimmick is.
Three years ago, for the 2018 model year, Toyota chose to completely redesign its best-selling model, the Camry. This model hasn’t just led the Toyota lineup; the Camry has been the best-selling sedan in America almost every year for the past 20-plus years. Having the No. 1 car for so long is...
www.standard.net
"...the Camry has been the best-selling sedan in America almost every year for the past 20-plus years."