Are Apple Earnings Evidence of a Coming New Era of Computing?

Students of computing history are familiar with the notion that each distinct era of computing has been lead by a different set of companies than lead the era that preceded the new era. that doesn't mean, in some mechanical fashion, that the leaders of a former era always disappear.

Some will note that IBM still exists, though as a far different sort of company. In fact, one might say other leaders in past eras, including HP and Dell, are trying to recreate themselves largely on the IBM model, which is to say as consulting specialists, not hardware suppliers. 

Its too early to say if the pattern will hold in the next era to come. But history suggests the pattern will hold. If so, household names such as Apple might cease to be seem as the trendsetters of the next era.

It is a shocking concept, to be sure. But some observers would say the recent Apple earnings call, with its predictions of slowing growth, declining profit margins and a greater emphasis on the "value" element of owning Apple equity, rather than growth, illustrate the process at work. 

As happened to Microsoft before it, Apple might be on the cusp of becoming a "value play," not a "growth play." The corollary, one might also argue, is that as Microsoft is seen in many quarters as "not leading" in computing any longer, so Apple in several years might also be seen as a past leader, not a current leader.

It's shocking, but history suggests it will happen.