The internet might be a fad, but my porn collection will last forever!

Isn’t this title a bit misleading? Comparing company’s stock value with country’s GDP is like, simplified, comparing assets of one individual with yearly income of another one.

The drive point, I think the reason why the inside leaks paint it as some sort of cult is Jobs assuring that others continue the model he created. Yes, of course the big motivator is gone, but his 'underlings' he has schooled and coached excessively to the point they probably think just like him. He was one guy, now they are may like him at the company.

Not exactly like him, but like I hinted at before, Apple isn't the house jobs built, it's the house he laid the foundations for. He pretty much did his job in that regard. Apple top to bottom now has the cream of the crop when it comes to operations, manufacturing, QA (software wise), software development, marketing and operations. These people get paid well, have successful careers and most likely great stock options. Add the reality distortion field Jobs paraded on site and you have a powerful mix that makes them stay at the company. I'm not lying when I say they have a extremely competitive frame of mind at Apple, everyone else in the industry are a bunch if Infidels. They want nothing more to get rid of them and work just for that.

Unlike other companies it's the fierce loyalty to the company that will likely sustain the motivation, people at apple have a personal stake that far outweighs their salary. Apple isn't the same company that Jobs once left. They are at the peak of their power, have tens of billions to ride out one hell of a bad period, and staffed with top people. Unlike almost every other business, they are nimble and can adapt.

I obviously can't look into the future and guarantee all this and say that Apple will dominate. I could very well be wrong and Apple sink. However, I think it all hinges on the lawsuits, they win and even if all the top people left, Apple would sit and grow fat with the monopoly they have become. Untouchable since even the governments play their ball.

They lose? The motivation you talked about could easily be lost and the company haemorrhage like RIM. It'll be very interesting to see what happens in the next few years.

Porn is a fad too.

Fad = following the sheep. Flock stayed together for quite a while eh?. Predict Apply will start to wilt in the near future since Job's is gone...

It's preposterous, but not entirely meaningless.

A common measure of value is the ratio of market cap to gross sales. (Indeed, it's the best measure for going concerns that aren't turning a profit.) By old standards that don't take into account the currently inflated stock prices on most exchanges, a ratio of 1:1 is fairly valued. And for a privately held or not-for-profit concern (such as, maybe, a country), a good estimate of its value is the annual gross sales (which is the annual GDP).

But the only purpose the article could have is to illustrate the enormous scale of Apple's operations ($108 billion (milliard) in 2011 sales) and the enormous value presently attributed to Apple stock.

I know. I forgot to put /sarcasm/ tag into my post :)

Apple brought the "future" of mobile computing to the masses but did nothing to educate them as to what they can really do with their expensive toys and in process locked everything down so it would be idiot proof.

Interestingly, he left in 1984, my first computer (a Macintosh) is from 1994, and my personal favourite products (including the Newton) from them are from before Jobs' ideas came back with the iMac (though I'll admit the iPod is great as well, I doubt they'll continue updating the "classic" line any more).

My underwear is probably worth more than Poland. I sure hope Apple don't buy Poland though... I like the Poles and would hate to see them subjected to such rubbishness... on the other hand the Poles could emmigrate, all the apple fans could move in and then we could tell North Korea what Apple said about Kim Jong-un's mother.

you see... this is where you are wrong. governments do not like monopolies. Especially Europe Union. The moment Apple starts acting like a monopoly (while not even being one) those f***ers in parliament who do nothing all day will jump together united with greedy grin on their faces to get as much money from apple as possible.
It happened few times before noteworthy was browser case against Microsoft.

Really one of the unquestionable benefits of EU and its multiculturalism.

Not to worry! Now it is a very good time to buy buttloads of stocks from companies that will be 30-100x their current price in a few years.

I think the next big thing will be... ummm... ah... organic micro bicycles and a free AI based medical service network which will make many doctors unemployed all over the world.

Wrong. Samsung only beat Apple in Q3 when sales of the 4 slowed in anticipation of the 4s. Apple was still the top smartphone manufacturer of 2011. Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/9084879/Apple-top-smartphone-vendor-in-2011.html

This time last year apple was celebrating its 10th billion app download. They will shortly be celebrating their 25th billion app download. Thats 15 billion in a year. In comparison the android market is sitting around a total of 11 billion downloads.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/17/apple-apps-downloaded_n_1285773.html

Iphone users are also more willing to pay for apps. In America 89% of android app downloads were free, while only 73% of apple downloads were free.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/250563/survey_android_users_more_likely_to_be_app_freeloaders.html

Developers won't walk away from these numbers anytime soon.

am i reading it wrong or both nokia and samsung sold more mobile devices than apple??

apple still has lead on market share but it sold less products than either nokia and samsung.

Yes they sold more mobile devices but apple has never been at the top of category because they only sell smartphones.

For smartphones apple was number 1 in 2011.