Apple soars on iPad success and Mac growth

Vendor grows top and bottom line by more than 60 per cent apiece during stellar Q3

Steve Jobs: it was a phenomenal quarter that exceeded our expectations

The launch of the iPad and a massive hike in Mac sales helped Apple post monumental rises in both sales and profit during its third fiscal quarter.

For the three months to 26 June, sales rose by more than 60 per cent year on year to $15.7bn (£10.3bn). Net profit was up almost 80 per cent to $3.25bn.

The US provided 48 per cent of turnover, with the rest of the world accounting for the remainder. Apple expects to post Q4 sales of about $18bn.

The vendor shipped 3.47 million Macs during the quarter, a rise of a third on Q3 2009. Sales of the iPhone were up 61 per cent to 8.4 million, but iPod shipments slipped eight per cent to 9.41 million.

The iPad was launched during Q3 and 3.27 million units were sold before the quarter's end. The iPhone 4 was also unveiled in Q3. Despite its well documented problems, Apple chief executive Steve Jobs described it as "the most successful product launch in Apple's history".

“It was a phenomenal quarter that exceeded our expectations," he added. " iPad is off to a terrific start, more people are buying Macs than ever before, and we have amazing new products still to come this year.”