Apple Has an Identity Crisis - WSJ.com

A big day for Apple, with its quarterly earnings report this afternoon

"Much of the investor nervousness is rooted in how Wall Street is treating and valuing the Cupertino, Calif., company as a traditional hardware maker. One camp of analysts and some investors said there is strong evidence that Apple should be viewed in a different light: as a software-hardware hybrid.
The distinction matters. If it continues to be seen as a hardware business, Apple's streak—driven by products like the iPhone and iPad—could run out quickly as smartphones and tablets get commoditized and consumer tastes change. It is a lesson learned by companies like BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion Ltd.,  whose tech hardware was quickly eclipsed by products from Apple itself."

Apple Has an Identity Crisis - WSJ.com