Apple sales reach USD5.7 bln, exceed estimates

"Apple's growing product line has also seen significant success in the Middle East through 2005," remarked Elias Abou-Rustom, General Manager, Arab Business Machine Ltd. "While the iMacs continue their traditional popularity in the region and worldwide, the iPods have become an iconic product for people of all ages across the Middle East. We will definitely see a number of key technological advancements at Apple in 2006."

The company's retail stores posted revenue of more than $1 billion for the first time. Apple sold 14 million iPod music players and 1.25 million Macs. Apple sold 4.58 million iPods in the fiscal first quarter a year earlier, when total revenue reached $3.49 billion.

Apple has sold 8 million videos through its iTunes service since the online store introduced the feature, and the company has sold more than 850 million songs. While the company witnessed 26 million visitors during the holiday quarter in the retail stores

Also, Apple unveiled an iPod remote control and an FM tuner at the show; and its releasing an update of its MacOS system software.

Apple is the top-seller of digital music players in the U.S., with the iPod accounting for 69 percent of devices sold between January and November, according to NPD Group Inc. in Port Washington, New York.

Another significant move by Apple is the switch to Intel processors. Apple last June announced the switch to Santa Clara, California-based Intel, the world's largest chipmaker. The chips are faster and consume less power than Apple's old Motorola Inc. and International Business Machines Corp. products.