Apple, according to analysts, has enough cash in its war chest to buy out many of its rival mobile phone companies.

PC Magazine has reported that Apple, with its $70 billion in cash and liquid assets, could potentially buy Nokia ($22.6 billion), RIM ($13.8 billion), HTC ($25.4 billion), and Motorola ($4.2 billion). That's already 75 percent of mobile phone industry. And with some stretch on its finances, Apple could also add LG ($10 billion) and Sony Ericsson ($3.0 billion) to the list, but the mobile division of Samsung ($53 billion) won’t be available.

Horace Dediu of Asymco, who envisioned such a scenario, has constructed a chart with two vertical bar graphs; the left graph representing Apple’s asset and the right graph representing all the other major company’s entrepreneur value stacked on top of each other.

Of course Dediu’s speculation is just that, and it will probably not come into reality. However, there's no harm in imagining such scenarios.

If you were Steve Jobs and had $70 billion to spend, and assuming you will not face any regulatory hurdles, which companies would you buy? And why?

Click on the slideshow to read the strengths of each of the companies and give us your thoughts.