Apple Growth Rate Surpasses Microsoft

Appleis growth rate surpassed Microsoft during the last four years according to an examination of the two companies published by 10Layers.com on Sunday. The growth projection showed that, if current trends continue, with Microsoft growing linearly and Apple growing exponentially, that Apple could surpass Microsoftis projected $US65B earnings as early as 2010.

The growth chart showed that in the 2002 to 2004 time frame, Microsoftis quarterly revenues were typically five to six times Appleis. In the fourth calendar quarter of 2006, Microsoftis revenue of about US$12.5B was less than twice Appleis.

In the comments that followed, there was a discussion about whether Appleis current and future product mix could sustain that kind of growth. Whether Microsoft could even sustain a linear growth was also discussed.

Appleis recent stellar quarterly earnings of US$7B and US$1B profits are fueling more and more speculation about Appleis future as a consumer electronics company that also sells computers.