Apart from Apple fanboys(me included) arguments in this thread here's how it goes.
As a developer who builds apps for different phones and tablets Apple is heads and shoulders above other devices. Both in specs/usability and support. Android is close but poisoned by a huge amount of different devices, screen sizes, hardware specs. Blackberry and Microsoft are just junk, people buying those are pretty much fooled by marketing and I'm sorry for them. They are not in this game for long and you are just waisting your money.
Apple is skimming the top of the market, both price-wise and quality-wise. Thats normal for them, it was happening with laptops/desktops for a looong time. That's free market in a capitalism. It's very normal and healthy. But their products are built like tanks (but still light and look nice). You should see what my 18mo does to iPad. No electronics would stand that test.