Did Tim Cook Really Rant at the Tombstone of Steve Jobs, Leading to the Development of iPhone 6?
The power of creative minds plus the benefits of Photoshop led to the creation of this picture that appears to depict Apple's sorry state 18 months after co-founder Steve Jobs succumbed to pancreatic cancer.
The photo, published by The Onion, alleges that current Apple CEO Tim Cook was spotted at the tombstone of his predecessor crying and seeking guidance on how to pull Apple out of its current rut.
Besides the smartphone crown grabbed by South Korean tech firm Samsung from Apple, the California-based tech firm that makes and sells the expensive iPhone, iPad, iPod and iMac, is also being hammered by its own investors who have been selling their shares, causing Apple's stock to go below $400 this week.
The article quoted Mr Cook as venting his anger at Mr Jobs and saying, "You left no instructions, damn it. I need another game-changing breakthrough product that millions can't live without. Just give me one idea. One idea, for the love of God! Why are you torturing me like this?"
The article concludes with Mr Cook composing himself and developing the iPhone 6 which has been the subject of rumours.
While different speculations about an upcoming iPhone have floated in the past few months, the bigger question is would an iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 or a low-cost iPhone held boost the company's share value?
On Thursday, Apple's stock further declined by $11.33 to $391.47. It was the second day that the company's share price was reported to be selling below $400, no doubt influenced by a report from an Apple key supplier that iPhone and iPad sales are similarly on a downhill.
More than just a kneejerk reaction to that report, USA Today, in an analysis, said the case of Apple stock is a good example "of a stock that got too popular for its own good."
The daily explained that Apple's share prices are now being repriced for reality following incredible growth enjoyed due to the past strong sales of the iPod and iPhone resulting in revenue growth hitting 66 per cent in 2011 and 52 per cent in 2010, but since then has slowed down to 45 per cent in 2012 and 29 per cent in 2013.
The growth is still considered strong, but not viable to support its share price that was trading at $700 at its peak.
Profit margins are also downward at 6.2 per cent of revenue in 2012 from 6.4 per cent in 2011 and had been falling from 10 per cent in 2008.
Given these numbers, plus the apparent non-stop rise of Samsung, it wouldn't really be surprising that Mr Cook may really just do what the photo suggest and pour out his frustrations to Mr Jobs, who must be turning inside his grave over the worm that that been bugging Apple since his death.