iPhone outperforming BlackBerry

Apple say new 3G version has sold almost 7m

iPhone outperforming BlackBerry. Phones, Mobile phones, Apple, RIM, iPhone, BlackBerry 1

21 October 2008 23:22 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Apple's iPhone 3G has proved to be a success based on the latest figures from the company.

In the latest quarterly results, Apple has confirmed that it sold almost 7 million iPhones globally compared to just over 1m in the same period last year.

Unit sales of iPhone 3G have been significantly greater than sales of the first-generation iPhone. According to Apple during the first quarter of iPhone 3G availability 6.9 million units were sold, exceeding the 6.1 million first-generation iPhone units sold in the prior five quarters combined.

"Apple just reported one of the best quarters in its history, with a spectacular performance by the iPhone - we sold more phones than RIM", said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO.

However, while the company also managed to shift around 2.6 million mac computers (a rise of 21% over the year-ago quarter) and just over 11 million iPods, Steve Jobs, the company's CEO said there could be troubled times ahead:

"We don’t yet know how this economic downturn will affect Apple."

Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s CFO added:

"Looking ahead, visibility is low and forecasting is challenging, and as a result we are going to be prudent in predicting the December quarter."

Overall figures showed that Apple posted revenue of $7.9 billion and net quarterly profit of $1.14 billion, or $1.26 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $6.22 billion and net quarterly profit of $904 million, or $1.01 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 34.7%, up from 33.6% in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 41% of the quarter’s revenue.