Collected: Apple threat level hits new high

  Facts are meeting speculation. With Mac, iPad and iPhone sales on the up and up, this has been a fascinating week for Apple [AAPL] rumor. All the disparate claims seem headed into the final steps of their strange dance, unfolding like Lotus flowers, suggesting Apple is set to deliver the world's most efficient connected device-agnostic global mobile platform. Look at the evidence: Apple's selling more Macs than ever -- Mac sales growth has outpaced the market for 19 consecutive quarters; analysts predict smartphone sales will climb 50 percent this year and the iPad-dominated tablet market is growing faster than that...