by , 2:25 PM EST, January 29th, 2007

Apple's growth rate surpassed Microsoft during the last four years according to an examination of the two companies published by 10Layers.com on Sunday. The growth projection showed that, if current trends continue, with Microsoft growing linearly and Apple growing exponentially, that Apple could surpass Microsoft's projected $US65B earnings as early as 2010.

The growth chart showed that in the 2002 to 2004 time frame, Microsoft's quarterly revenues were typically five to six times Apple's. In the fourth calendar quarter of 2006, Microsoft's revenue of about US$12.5B was less than twice Apple's.

In the comments that followed, there was a discussion about whether Apple's current and future product mix could sustain that kind of growth. Whether Microsoft could even sustain a linear growth was also discussed.

Apple's recent stellar quarterly earnings of US$7B and US$1B profits are fueling more and more speculation about Apple's future as a consumer electronics company that also sells computers.