In the last seven months, Apple's share value has fallen by more than 43 percent.

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) enjoyed its highest ever closing price on 19 September 2012, when a single share was valued at $702.10.

Since then, the firm's value has slid considerably, despite publishing FY2012 results in October that showed a 61 increase in net income and 'record' quarterly results in January 2013.

Tough at the top

As Business Insider points out, Apple's market value slide during the last seven months - equal to $291.42 billion worth of paper losses - amazingly exceeds the entire worth of the firm's smartphone rival Google by more than $25 billion.

According to commentators, though the company remains incredibly successful, its consistent failure to miss ambitious growth and earnings targets projected by analysts has left investors uncertain as to whether Apple has peaked.

What's more, the company's imminent financial results are expected to show a drop in quarterly revenues.

This shouldn't come as a surprise – Apple projected this fall back in January, and its last set of quarterly results included the holiday shopping season – but it's unlikely to help matters.

There's also a feeling that Apple will need to look to developing markets to maintain its growth – perhaps by producing a lower-cost iPhone for the Chinese or Indian markets.