Apple’s Profit Still Climbs, but Pressure is Growing - NYTimes.com

Apple provides fodder for a case study in realistic expectations and context-setting/framing

"The company sold 43.7 million iPhones — up from 37.4 million in the same period last year. But sales of its iPads, at 16.35 million, were slightly down, from 19.5 million last year, despite a major redesign for one of the iPads introduced in the fall.

It was almost certain that Apple’s stratospheric rise, largely on the back of the iPhone, would plateau. It’s the law of large numbers.

“If Apple grew the next five years like it did the previous five years, it would be approaching the G.D.P. of Australia,” said Toni Sacconaghi, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein."

Apple’s Profit Still Climbs, but Pressure is Growing - NYTimes.com