NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Microsoft’s dominance as the tech industry’s most valuable player has ended. 

On Wednesday, Apple’s market capitalization edged past its longtime rival’s as investors made official what consumers have long suggested : Microsoft is no longer the industry’s alpha dog.

Just last month, Microsoft’s market cap exceeded Apple’s by about $25 billion, but now Apple is in the lead by nearly $3 billion.

la fin des haricots !!!

Microsoft’s reputation as a market leader took another hit Tuesday when the company announced that it plans to shake up its management structure.

Amid the shuffle, Robbie Bach, who was in charge of years-long effort to turn Microsoft into more of a threat to Apple by heading the entertainment and devices group and overseeing innovative consumer products like Xbox and Zune, will retire from Microsoft in the fall.