Apple does not "bring it all together". Just because it makes the final decisions and markets the product does not mean it brings it all together, any more than a CEO brings it all together (the people under him or her are responsible for getting things done). Multiple entities all around the world are responsible not only for the manufacture, but also the DESIGN and CREATIVE energy behind the iPhone as well as most cutting edge gadgets. So, article gets it wrong when it says that "Apple, of course designs the product". So many of the components, like the touchscreen and memory storage, are so complex that they are essentially created and designed separately, by firms with expertise in those respective areas. Like the hard disk or flash memory, designed by Toshiba. Also, the article gets it wrong about Balda being responsible for the touchscreen. A recent article revealed that it was actually Balda's Taiwanese partner, TPK Holding, that created the unique technology for the touchscreen.