Apple’s Most Profitable Quarter Ever

MacBook and iMac refresh due very soon

On the eve of Windows 7 and the first Microsoft high street store, Apple has reported record sales of iPhones and Macs and profits have soared 46 per cent during the fourth quarter compared to the same period a year ago.

Apple have described the period as their most profitable quarter ever recording a net income of $1.67bn on sales of $9.87bn.

In the same period last year, the company earned $1.14bn on $7.9bn in sales.

Selling 3.5 million Macs, about 2.3 million of which were laptops and 7.4 million iPhones, the only casualty has been the iPod which has slumped for the second consecutive quarter.

Apple has added 15 retail outlets, totalling 273 outlets at the quarter’s end, the company said.

Chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer said Apple will open two retail outlets in France in November (including one in the Louvre) and two more in New York.

Steve Jobs has referred to a “very strong line-up” for the holiday season and for 2010, industry insiders working on a tip-off reckon it’s a pretty good indication a MacBook and iMac refresh is due out very soon.