Is Apple a Victim of Sour Grapes?

As Apple fans line up at stores on Thursday morning for the release of the fourth iteration of the iPhone, the company is riding high. And it's not just the iPhone. Sales of the iPad tablet are strong too, and Apple has surged past Microsoft to become the most valuable company in the technology industry. But as one success follows another, the company finds itself in a bewildering position. As the tech industry's perennial underdog, Apple was frequently scorned and dismissed by larger and more successful competitors like Microsoft or Dell. Now, with growing frequency, the company is seen by competitors and other industry players as a bully. Companies like Google and Adobe have accused Apple of unfairly using its clout to exclude their technologies from the iPhone and iPad. And some application developers are fretting under Apple's tight control of those devices, even though many of them built their fortunes on the popular gadgets. But perhaps in the clearest sign that Apple has emerged as an industry superpower, government regulators are beginning to scrutinize its every move.