I can't see a meaningful analogy with the old Apple; to assert one is to assume that totally divergent situations (Apple owning a market wholesale, versus being a niche player) and companies (Apple 2012 is very different from Apple 1998) somehow combine in a way that papers over the very real changes that have happened internal and externally.

>The fact is that they never took an early lead with the Mac

@eddieplan You might not be old enough to remember but the macintosh and earlier apple computers were the first commercially successful computers for the home market.

Apple can't really win on market share or their business model would be impossible to sustain on anti-trust grounds alone. The iPod was the only exception/fluke and IIRC there were some rumblings from the EU about it. The Bush DOJ was too 'business friendly' to worry much about it. Apple could make a market-share grab anytime they wanted to but they also realize it's suicide to do so. Better to own 30% of the market and 75% of the profits than 75% of the market and 30% of the profits. I don't know if they can sustain that but they probably won't shake things up until they are forced to. Don't mess with a good thing right?