Apple reports $8.5b profit for Q4 2014

Apple this afternoon released its financial report for Q4
2014 ahead of a media event elaborating on the
numbers, and the numbers themselves were as big as
expected in the wake of evidence of impressive iPhone 6
and 6 Plus sales. All total, the company reported $42.1
billion in revenue (with 60 percent of it coming from
international markets), which amounts to an impressive
$8.5 billion in profits. What's more, that's up
considerably from the $37.5 billion Apple reported last
year.
As expected, the iPhone stole the numbers show, as
sales of Apple's handsets amounted to 39,3 million units
for the quarter. But the Mac was still the surprise
wonder here, as it moved an impressive 5.5 million units
during the same period. Deep back-to-school discounts
from August are thought to have much to do with the
unusually strong Mac sales, which shattered the
existing record from 2011 when Apple moved 4.9 million
units.
The iPad, however, continued its stark sales decline. At
this time last year, the tablet moved 14.1 million units,
but only 12.3 million iPads made their ways into the
hands of customers this year. That makes Q4 2014 the
third quarter in a row with a slump in sales of the
device.
Other sales were up, as Apple CEO Tim Cook reported
during the call proper. iTunes revenue, for instance, was
up 22 percent for a total revenue of $5.4 billion; and the
company broke another record with sales at its retail
stores, which brought in $5.1 billion for an increase of
15 percent from last year.
Cook believes that Apple Pay, officially launched today
with iOS 8.1, will push sales even higher in the future.
"We think we will sell more devices, because we think
it's a killer feature," Cook said. "We see Apple Pay as an
incredible service that is the most customer-centric
mobile payment system that there is. We’re very proud of
it and we can’t wait to sign up more retailers and extend
it around the world.”
Via : MacLife.com