Apple posts another record quarter on strong iPhone and Mac sales

Apple has credited a strong performance from its iPhone line in helping to drive another record financial quarter.

The company reported $24.67bn in revenues, up 83 per cent from the same period last year and Apple's best quarterly increase ever. Net profit for the quarter was reported at $5.99bn.

Headlining the strong performance was the iPhone, which logged sales of 18.54 million units last quarter, up 113 per cent from last year's quarter and the best ever for the iPhone business.

Apple and industry analysts credited the strong iPhone sales to the recent deal with US carrier Verizon and strong sales in the Asia Pacific region.

The record sales come as the industry is seeing ongoing manufacturing issues in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Apple chief operating officer Tim Cook said that deals between the company and its manufacturers should hold up in the coming months, and that the disaster is not expected to affect Apple's hardware supply or costs.

"Apple employees have been able to implement a number of contingency plans," he said. "They have displayed an incredible resilience that I have not seen before."

The Macintosh line also generated record numbers during the past quarter, shifting 3.78 million units, an increase of 28 per cent from last year.

"It is hard to argue with the success they are enjoying with the Mac," Gartner research vice president Van Baker told V3.co.uk. "It is a business that nobody bothers to notice, but it is a very profitable business."