Mac sales skyrocket

 

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By Reuters

Posted on 24 Apr 2008 at 08:19

Apple has posted a 36% rise in quarterly profit, buoyed by strong Mac and iPod sales.

Second quarter Mac shipments soared 51% to nearly 2.3 million units, spurred by what analysts call the "halo effect" of iPods and iPhones. Analysts also claim Apple benefited from consumer dissatisfaction with Windows Vista.

The company also sold 1.7 million iPhones, with chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer remaining confident the company would hit its goal of selling 10 million devices by the end of 2008.

Apple is widely expected to launch a faster iPhone model in a few months, addressing a major complaint about the gadget, especially in Europe. Executives declined to discuss any future products on a conference call with analysts.
In total Apple earned $1.05 billion, or $1.16 per share, on revenues of $7.51 billion for the quarter as compared to $770 million dollars, or $87 cents per share, in the same quarter last year.

"It was a strong quarter in terms of Mac shipments and iPods," says Shannon Cross, analyst at Cross Research. "Ipods, which had been a concern, were above expectations and that should hold back some who were speculating that iPod was saturated."