Market Share Strategy IntroductionSince 1977, Apple Computers, Inc. has been a leader in the computer and technology industry. From the advent of the Apple II to the iPhone, Apple is a company known for innovation, vision and transformation in the industry. What started as a business based in Menlo Park, California, has grown into a multibillion-dollar corporation with international influence (Encyclopedia Britannica 2008). The advancement on which much of today's computer hardware and software is based was developed by Apple. Currently, Apple is enjoying great success in the technology and PC industry. The Apple brand is one of the most recognized brands in the world and tremendously popular among users (Baxter, 2008), often gaining repeat business from its customers. Apple tops the list for introducing so many new products to the market. This ranking was drawn up by consulting 1,000 senior managers in a survey that compared companies based on their level of innovation. Apple has also integrated seven types of technology to ensure this ranking (McGregor, Arndt & Berner, 2006). Despite an impressive reputation and illustrious history as a business leader, Apple must always be wary of the growing competition and market forces that surround it. Problem Statement The technological field is constantly changing. Despite nearly limitless growth opportunities, there are still numerous obstacles that threaten the continued success and stability of the technology sector as a whole. Even with its current leading position in media and technology, Apple continues to face threats not only from technology competitors, but like any company, from market forces as well. From the very beginning, shortly after its founding, Apple was besieged by rival companies such as IBM and Microsoft. At one time, Apple was the only company offering personal computer systems for home use. By 1992, however, Apple was pushing back against the advancement of the more user-friendly Microsoft Windows. Although the company still enjoyed high returns, its market share was declining rapidly (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008). After looking at Apple's current revenue data for this quarter, it appears that Apple is performing well in its industry. According to first quarter results released on January 22, 2008, the company reported quarterly net income of $1.58 billion. Gross margin was 34.7%, up from 31.2% in the same quarter a year ago (Apple, Investor Relations, 2008). The company's second quarter results show a quarterly net profit of $1.