Ordinarily, when patent protection runs out it's open season on the patent holders business unless they keep innovating, adapting, essentially making their mousetrap better than new entrants. I haven't seen that from SS, as Hinerman noted. It does make me wonder if it is only a matter of time before SS is steam-rolled by a major player who builds theirs right and over a period of many years, earns a solid reputation that means there is less reason to choose SS over the new entrant's offerings. More so if said new entrant further develops their offerings to include many improvements over what SS offer. But they'd have to be genuine improvements on what is already a darn reliable machine.
I feel, in SS's case, they are happy with the extra exposure that comes from new entrants marketing kinetic machines to their customers, essentially growing the pie. But when the music stops, will SS, after next to no adaptation/improvements compared to others, still have a chair to sit on?
