Saying it’s sold 6.9 million iPhones and that its Mac sales are hitting all-time highs, Apple (News - Alert) today reported $7.9 billion in revenues for the quarter ending Sept. 27.

 

The figure marks a net quarterly profit of $1.14 billion, or $1.26 per diluted share, according to the company. The results compare favorably to the year-ago quarter, which saw $6.22 billion in revenue and a net quarterly profit of $904 million, or $1.01 per diluted share.

 

According to the company’s iconic chief executive officer, Steve Jobs, the quarter marks one of Apple’s best-ever, when the iPhone (News - Alert) outsold Research In Motion’s BlackBerry smartphone devices.

 

“We don’t yet know how this economic downturn will affect Apple,” Jobs said. “But we’re armed with the strongest product line in our history, the most talented employees and the best customers in our industry. And $25 billion of cash safely in the bank with zero debt.”

 

The economic downturn that Jobs referred to is spurring some IT stalwarts to focus on specific products and channels.

As TMCnet reported today, a suburban Chicago-based wireline and mobile networks solutions provider, Tellabs (News - Alert), said today that it saw $424 million in third-quarter revenues. The figure marks a 7 percent decrease from the year-ago quarter, though revenue from outside North America rose 21 percent from the year-ago quarter, to $160 million.

 

The company’s president and chief executive officer, Rob Pullen, said Tellabs achieved record data and IP networking revenue in the quarter.

 

“Going forward, we are focusing future investments in our target solutions – mobile backhaul, optical networking and business services,” Pullen said. “We are also increasing investment in our sales channels.”

 

The Tellabs news followed Texas Instruments’ (News - Alert) reported third quarter net earnings of $563 million, or 43 cents per share – down 27 percent from $776 million, or 54 cents per share, from the year-ago quarter.

 

TI Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Rich Templeton said he entered the third quarter with a “cautious view of the economy.”

 

Templeton said that despite recessionary conditions, TI’s revenue from its analog business was steady, and that its embedded processing business grew 9 percent year-over-year.

 

“Although not immune to near-term economic pressures, these are two of the best long-term opportunities in our industry,” Templeton said. “We are a leader in each and expect to strengthen our position even in this period of economic weakness.”

 

It’s hard to imagine how Apple could strengthen its position any further.

 

The company said it shipped 2,611,000 Macintosh computers during the quarter – a figure that marks 21 percent unit growth and 17 percent revenue growth over the year-ago quarter.

 

The company also sold 11,052,000 iPods during the quarter – an 8 percent unit growth and 3 percent revenue growth over the year-ago quarter. Thanks to the much-hyped third-generation iPhone, quarterly iPhone units sold were 6,892,000 compared to 1,119,000 in the year-ago-quarter.

 

The company’s chief financial officer, Peter Oppenheimer, said he was “very pleased” to see revenue grow 35 percent, and to see $9.1 billion in cash generated in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 27.

 

“Looking ahead, visibility is low and forecasting is challenging, and as a result we are going to be prudent in predicting the December quarter,” Oppenheimer said. “We are providing a wide range for our guidance, targeting revenue of $9.0 to $10.0 billion and earnings per diluted share between $1.06 and $1.35.”