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As handset makers step up their efforts to compete with the iPhone, the search for a "killer feature" is on. But there's no such thing.

The smartphone market has surged in the past two years (PDF), largely due to adoption by mainstream consumers after years as a niche segment that appealed to techie and enterprise types. By most accounts, the appearance of the Apple (s aapl) iPhone exposed the appeal of the smartphone to "regular" phone customers. The success of the iPhone has created a race to grab smartphone market share, with all the major players participating. This race has players reaching to determine the "killer feature" that can be used to attract those new customers. This is a futile effort, as a single "killer feature" doesn't exist. However, omitting some key features can directly limit sales.