The disciples have begun to question their faith. 'We suffer so Apple can make a few more bucks, when Apple is clearly not hurting for money,' wrote Wil Shipley, an American software developer, on his blog, Call Me Fishmeal. 'We were there when Apple was hurting, we stuck with it, we nursed her back to health. It's our money she has now, and she's turning on us now that she's rich off it.'

But after years of near religious devotion to Apple and its high priest, chief executive Steve Jobs, there are signs of a revolt in the blogosphere. A series of controversial decisions by Jobs has tarnished Apple's reputation as an effortlessly cool outfit which was always on the side of the consumer against the Goliath Microsoft. Worst of all, it is now being compared to Microsoft as unexciting and money driven.