posted by Medis89

The renewed excitement surrounding Apple (APPL) is well-founded. The company’s introduction of the iTablet; stable iPhone sales in Europe and China; good Mac revenue; surprisingly resilient iPod sales; and the iPhone/Verizon one-two punch fight in the war for market share are too many good-things-to-come for investors struggling to find a good story on the Street.

Backing out fraudulent bank earnings from the S&P, bottom line growth in the real economy, therefore, top-line driven earning results are expected to be rather disappointing in the first quarter of 2010. Investors underestimating Apple’s potential to buck the earnings trend may prove costly during a year that many top analysts believe will be the year of stock-picking prowess overtaking index players.

The Financial Times reported that Apple is scheduled to drop a bomb on January 26 regarding its new tablet device, including other announcement regarding significant improvements to the company’s iTunes capabilities, which are rumored to include print media and gaming support.

Google’s presence in Apple’s space will be significant in the future, but not necessarily at this time. Apple’s momentum should reward investors in the near future as it races against smart competition. Take each battle at a time when evaluating the coming war for your mobile unit. The first battle is mostly likely to be won by Apple.

The strategy of this trade is simple: Buy APPL leading up to the announcement and sell into strength during the media hype.