Apple Inc.'s Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs is shown in this combination of file photographs dating (top row L to R) 2000, 2003, 2005, (bottom row L to R) 2006, 2008 and 2009. [Photo/Agencies]

Industry analyst Kang Zhiyi with Donghai Securities said Apple's hot selling products, iPhones and iPads, would not have come out without Jobs. As Jobs still retains the board chairman post, Apple's development strategy is not likely to be derailed, he added.

Chen Jinqiao, secretary-general of a telecommunications experts panel with the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, echoed his words.

"The innovation of Jobs is now deeply rooted in Apple's corporate culture," Chen said. "The company also has a strong team. Cook got the credit for running the company well at times when Jobs was on sick leave."

But Chen said Apple also faces tremendous challenges from industry rivals and it would not be an easy task to maintain the company's market dominance.

Sun Peilin, an analyst with Analysis International, said many other manufacturers are tapping into the Chinese market in the sector, providing various types of products, which reduced Apple's dominance.

In March, Apple's rival Lenovo Group launched its first tablet computer LePad based on the Android 2.2 operating system. The product, starting at 3,499 yuan, comes in two versions that support WiFi and 3G services.

IPads sold through authorized channels in China do not support 3G services.

The second generation of LePad will hit the market in the fourth quarter of this year, accelerating its pace to catch up with Apple's iPad. Chen Xudong, vice president of the Lenovo, said the company will adopt a "multi-model" strategy in its battle with Apple in the tablet computer market and plans to take more than 30 percent of China's tablet computer market over the next two to three years.