Apple Announces Highest Q4 Earnings in 9 Years
MacNN reports on Apples Q4 financial results. Apple Earned $106M or $0.22 per diluted share. This was above the estimated $0.18 per diluted share predicted. The increased earnings are mainly attributed to a 500% increase in iPod sales over Q4 of 2003. as well as an all around increase in portables and desktop CPU sales.

Recent Headline
20040927 - iMac G5 - Elegant, Powerful and Surprisingly Affordable

iPod A/V, Tiger and New iBooks
iBooks
MacGadget.de is reporting that Apple may update the iBooks this Tuesday. While my sources are saying that the iBooks and PowerBooks will be updated soon, they have not heard a specific date. They could also not rule out a Tuesday release.

Apple traditionally releases updates on Tuesdays to maximize press time. It would not be a stretch to beleive that Apple is going to release the new iBooks in line with the opening of the EDUCAUSE Conference in Denver Colorado, October 19th.

Tiger
A number of sites have reported that Amazon.com has "let the cat out of the bag" on the release date of Tiger. Amazon reported a release date of March 31, 2005 for Apple's Latest OS but has since relisted the OS as discontinued.


iPod A/V
As I reported in June of 2004, Apple appears to be readying the iPod A/V for launch. Many rumor sites have picked up this story and are reporting that it will be compatible with iPhoto for users to carry their photo libraries in their iPod. My sources still contend that the iPod A/V is being designed to allow users to download full length Music Videos and hopefully feature length films for viewing on the 2" color LCD or through the A/V ports on a Television.

Recent Headline
20041012 - OS X 10.3.6 Soon


See my Apple Rumors Archive for more Rumors

Apple Broadcasts Quarterly Financial Results Conference Call
The conference call was very positive stating continuing growths, specifically revenue gains of 29% in Q2 and 33% for the first half of Fiscal 2004. After the financial results the call was open to Q&A. I will provide more detail as the call progresses.

As Promised, Here are some of the key points from the conference call Q&A:

Sold 749,000 Computers and 807,000 iPods

Sold 157,000 Powerbooks

Sold 201,000 iBooks

Sold 217,000 iMacs

Sold 174,000 PowerMacs

iPod Revenue up 750% and still #1 MP3 Player

Retail revenue for the quarter was 256 Milion, 3.5 Million per store

5,800 people per week visited each store on average.

Best Buy beta is over and Apple is analyzing data to determine their next course of action. Best Buy still remains a strong retail channel for iPods and CPUs in some stores.

The number of places to purchase iPods was expanded by 50% from 8,000 to 12,000. 80% of the expansion was outside the US.

The iPod is in supply and demand balance, but the mini is in far more demand than originally planned. Apple would not comment on their plan to ramp up supply only to say that they will do whatever it takes.

The only supply issue for the xServes was and is the 90nm 975 from IBM. Apple said that by Q4 it should be rectified.

Sold over 400,000 iLife '04 suites not counting computer sales in which it was included.

Apple quoted 13% sales to small and midsized business. This was up from last quarter's 10% and 5% prior to that.

HP has already shipped over 300,000 machines with iTunes installed and will begin shipping 'hPods' as scheduled this summer.

Apple is planning 88 store by the end of this fiscal year

And of course Apple cited very small profits made on iTunes Music Store.
For more information you can see Apple Investments for the full broadcast and more.