The former head of Apple Computers, Mr Gil Amelio, who resigned suddenly three weeks ago, said he was confident that the company would continue to "show the way" for the PC industry.

Speaking in San Francisco, Mr Amelio said Apple now needed a "marketing genius" to take its range of products further.

"The future I see makes me more confident about Apple's future than those who are reading tea leaves and predicting a dark outlook for the company," he said. - (PA)