Tsk, eh? Those pesky, uncooperative (if you’re a tech pundit) markets are really screwing things up. Last week, we got the news that in the face of myriad iPad killers, the iPad’s share had PLUMMETED. No, wait. Electronista reported IDC’s data as stating that

the iPad had gained share, moving up from 65.7 percent at the start of the year to 68.3 percent.

But surely all those wonderful Android tablets with loads of ports and Flash and not-at-all-iPad-like shells are selling fast, right?

Multiple Android tablets’ arrivals only led to Google’s share shrinking, dropping from 34 percent in early 2011 to 26.8 percent mid-year.

Oh.

Still, I’m sure that won’t stop plenty of people banging on about how the iPad is doomed at some point in 2011, or 2012, or definitely by 2013. 2014 at the latest. Or maybe 2015. Just like Apple itself, really. Now Steve Jobs is no longer CEO,  the company’s pretty much screwed, as evidenced by the hard-hitting article in the New York Times, Without Jobs, Apple Shares Hit All-Time High:

At the end of regular trading Monday, Apple shares closed at $411.63, up 2.78 percent, with a new record-high market valuation of $381.62 billion. It is now clearly the most valuable company on the stock market, displacing Exxon Mobil, with a market capitalization of $358.34 billion.

Ah. Still, give it a week or two and I’m sure we’ll have analysts and pundits falling over themselves to argue that this time, the new iPhone won’t sell, because of all the great alternatives out there. Just wait and see!