surrounding the firm's 2013 lineup. Meanwhile, Samsung, HTC and other competitors are gradually stocking their portfolios with dozens of competitive products. Many analysts have expressed concerns about Apple's future, particularly when the company failed to meet their lofty expectations. Analysts are not the only ones who doubt Apple, however. Investors do as well. "It just looks like the wheels are falling off [at] Apple," Bob Auer, the Senior Portfolio Manager of SBAuer Funds, LLC, told Benzinga. Auer did not base his decision on rumors or product sales. Before investing in any firm, he wants the company to meet three characteristics:

) was so hot. Then Apple came and knocked BlackBerry off." Now Auer believes that the Android ecosystem -- which supports different sizes and different form factors to meet the needs of multiple users -- is the way of the future. "It's kind of like the board game Risk," Auer explained. "If everyone is against you, even if you're the strongest, you will fail. They have different tablet sizes -- why not have a bigger screen like the Samsung Galaxy Note II? Why not one with a cute keypad for people that like the tactical keyboard like BlackBerry had? Why not have four different iPhones?" Auer said that Apple's market share is "under attack" by Android-based competitors. "Quite frankly, the 'gee-whiz' factor has kind of warn off," he said of the iPhone. "I think we're about a year away from it being un-cool to have an Apple [phone]." The rumored

). They've just been decimated in the TV business. Sharp is bankrupt and has been decimated in the TV business. Now Apple wants to go into that business." That said, Apple could still make a comeback with some incredible, unexpected item. "They are gonna need a 'gee-whiz' product," said Auer. "If they come up with that, that will just help them tread water and keep even, because with the other stuff fallen off -- it is almost like a big drug company where all of their main drugs have gone off patent protection." Auer also took issue with Apple's

. "Apple has resorted to defending the patents and trying to get Samsung all tied up in court," he said. "When all that happened, that was the beginning of the end of the stock. "When you've got such a hot product, and you let the consumer decide, and the consumer is picking it up off the shelf so fast, you don't care about patent protection because the consumer and that person's pocket book are deciding. But what Apple was really telegraphing to the market -- which I don't believe people picked up on -- was that when all that litigation started, they were really saying that they can't depend on the glamour of their products and strength of its product line. They now have to intellectually defend their property. I was glad we were getting out of the stock." Despite his attitude toward Apple as an investment opportunity, Auer has still purchased several of the company's products. "I have three iPod Touches and two iPads," said Auer. "My wife and both of my sons have iPhones. But I have Android. I think [the iPhone] is a good product, but [not] as an investment." "Now you have investors turning on them and wanting them to cough up the cash," Auer concluded. "Who knows where that's gonna go. I would actually say they better keep that cash -- they're gonna need it."