Like I said in another comment, the high-end consumer mobile market outside of Apple is a red ocean and I seriously doubt the UK would be able to build a global scale corporation commanding ludicrous margins like Apple.
> with Brexit it has become fashionable in certain quarters to 'do-down' the UK's capabilities
It has also certainly become fashionable in other quarters to 'do-up' the UK's capabilities.
I don't deny that the UK has technological clout beyond digital, with excellent universities, a great tradition in science and engineering, and a global hub in London.
Time for the great Dana Sibera (https://twitter.com/NanoRaptor) to make some wondrous alternate history pictures of a world where there was a BBC Micro smartphone, or a ZX tablet.
> We have tons of opportunities in the UK to build a mobile firm. ARM is based here, for starters.
Unfortunately with Brexit it has become fashionable in certain quarters to 'do-down' the UK's capabilities.
The problem with building a mobile firm is that it's extremely expensive capital wise, and difficult.
There has not been an effective new entrant in the market globally in quite some time. It is not "doing the UK down" to suggest that there is no opportunity here for someone who doesn't already do high end phone manufacturing, and it's worth noting that the margins for everyone else in the mobile market are pretty crummy actually.
Unfortunately with Brexit it has become fashionable in certain quarters to 'do-down' the UK's capabilities.