If you check my news item earlier, Apple just posted the best results of any company in history, yet there stock price dropped by nearly 10 percent.

So what is going on? Is it the people in the stock markets manipulating the share price to make themselves loaded? Maybe. Or despite the whopping headline numbers the figures actually show a slight decline, a decline that has happened now for a while. Question is, does this really matter to Apple.

The decline is in market share across the US and Europe for the iPhone. This is being more than likely eroded by android handsets. However, the sales are kept buoyant by Apple branching out in to new markets and strengthening their position in China. And China is a massive opportunity. Their other products have had varied results, but no surprises that iPod sales are lower as well as Macs. These are being eroded by the iPhone and iPad respectively. But still, despite the erosion the sale figures are still phenomenal.

What I believe is happening is market competition is finally hitting Apple. In 2007 the iPhone took the world by surprise. Competitors 5 years later have caught up and are beginning to take charge. The iPad had a head start. Not anymore. However, even if market share does drop in Europe and USA, will Apple worry too much if China and surrounding areas are lining their pockets?

Or maybe Apple does have a stunning array of new gear in the pipeline. Either way, in the world of technology change is fast and to stay at the top is very difficult if you don’t have the leading products.