Apple is far and away the most dominant company in the mobile market. From the iPhone to the iPad, the company has products that people are clamoring to bring home. All other competitors are mostly left hoping to pick up the scraps. It's an enviable position, and one that has helped Apple become the world's largest company by market capitalization.

But over the last several months, Apple has been facing off with a quiet threat: Samsung. The company, which offers smartphones and tablets,recently unveiled a new slate featuring a 7.7-display, as well as a 5.3-inch device called the Galaxy Note. What's more, the company is planning to bring its wildly popular Galaxy S II smartphone to the United States this month, which could only bolster its position in the mobile space.

Simply put,Samsung is emerging as strong competitor. Now, the onus is on Apple to respond. Read on to find out why Samsung is bidding fair to give Apple a run for its money in the mobile market.

1. The designs are impeccable

If Apple is the leader in the industry when it comes to product design, Samsung might just be next. The company offers smartphones and tablets with some of the finest designs in the marketplace. The Galaxy Tab 10.1, for example, comes with a slick footprint and prominent 10.1-inch display.The Galaxy S II has a similarly prominent screen and a neat design that rivals even the iPhone 4. Consumers appreciate that. That's why they're increasingly turning to Samsung products.

2. A strong brand

One of Apple's keys to victory over the years has been its brand. Consumers around the globe trust that the company will offer outstanding products with each passing year. Samsung also enjoys a strong brand reputation. From refrigerators to televisions to smartphones, people are buying a host of Samsung products for all their needs. They trust those devices. That trust is helping Samsung sell more smartphones and tablets.

3. Better features

When one compares Samsung's mobile devices to Apple's, it's tough to find many features that the iPhone maker wins out on. The Galaxy S II, for example, comes with a big, 4.3-inch screen and 4G connectivity. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 has a 10.1-inch screen; built-in social features, thanks to Social Hub; and perhaps most importantly, HSPA+ connectivity. On nearly all fronts, Samsung's devices are more capable than Apple's. Now the onus is on the Cupertino, Calif.-based company to respond.

4. A bigger tablet display is important

As noted,the Galaxy Tab 10.1 comes with a 10.1-inch screen. The iPad 2, on the other hand, comes with a 9.7-inch screen. The difference might not be great, but when it comes to watching movies, surfing the Web and playing games, having that extra real estate is important. There is some speculation that Apple will offer up a bigger display in the iPad 3. That sounds like a great idea-because right now for the same price customers are getting a more-capable tablet with a bigger screen from Samsung.