Apple post record profits

There have been numerous headlines today trying to put Apple's record quarter of $46B in revenue and $13B in profit into context.  But the one that really does it for me is realizing that this means they made (went into their pockets, not just sold) over $144,000,000 per day.  

I've noted before that the majority of Apple's profits come from the iPhone.  So it's importance cannot be understated.  Interestingly enough, the iPhone sales seem to be follow a pattern that even a dummy could predict: Each year they sell more than all of the previous years combined:

In 2009, Apple sold more iPhones than it did in 2007 and 2008 combined. In 2010, Apple sold more iPhones than it did in 2007, 2008, and 2009 combined. Last year, Apple sold 93.1 million iPhones, slightly more than it did in in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 combined. The pattern continued.

If the pattern continues, Apple will sell at least 183 million iPhones in 2012.  As usual, Tim Cook was prodded by analyst about everything for the upcoming year, and as usual he revealed very little.  When they do in fact reveal something, you can be assured that it is on purpose and for a reason.  The two things I felt Tim Cook revealed where:

• he repeatedly said that they are look at all options for deploying their $96B in cash
• he said "we are going to innovate like crazy" when asked about the iPad market