ron_cb550

>>Their huge success stems from the iPod and perhaps more importantly, the iTunes software that allowed the easy purchase and transfer of media to it.

Much of their recent success can be credited to the EXPLOSION of iPad and iPhone sales, ALONGSIDE the consistent earnings they see from iPods (software and other iTunes Store related sales factor in here, but they seem minimal in comparison.. even if said total earnings are lumped in with "services, and Apple-branded and third-party iPod accessories" which may cause a slight distortion)
as we can see here:
http://images.apple....111data_sum.pdf
Also remember what I said earlier about marketshare growth and potential... once this s#!t transforms into a "global standard", nobody will be able to stop it... which leads me to:

>>However, the competition is catching up. Devices that run Google/Android are posing a serious challenge since they give the end user more freedoms than Apple.
Apple has done such an impressive job with regards to marketing and capturing the hearts & wallets of consumers, that even when we consider the challenge(s) that their competition may (or may not) bring to the table, one can't reasonably expect to see a decline in earnings (78% earnings growth and 71% revenue growth in a quarter? whoa!) on that basis.. if anything, maybe we can speculate on declining sales when we consider end-user demographics and the effectiveness of Apple's competition (which we have not yet seen).. but of course, one could argue that anything is possible, I'm just regurgitating the incessant analyses and updates that inevitably spam my life if Apple looks too scary as a potential investment, consider iPad/iPhone4 derivative plays, your ST Micro's, your Electronics Art's, Omnivision's etc.. (OVTI makes the cameras for iPads, phones and EVO's.. for full disclosure i do not own any of these

>>Has their influence over the telecom industry begun to erode or are they just trying to move more product?
Sales, baby.. lol especially since Apple Inc, sees $400+ PER PHONE that said telcom companies sell/subscribe.. verizon has over 93 million subscribers, so the potential is there! Estimates put $5.2 BILLION of sales revenue in Apple's hands, given 14% of Verizon clients hop onto the iPhone bandwagon... Slick.