Apple earnings boosted by strong iPhone sales

Analysts were focusing on iPad sales, as overall tablet shipments slowed for the first time in 2014

Apple has reported quarterly profits of $7.75bn (£4.5bn) - up 12% on the same period last year.

The company sold 35.2 million iPhones from March to June, an increase of 13% from the same time in 2013.

The company is seeing strong growth in BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa, and especially China where iPhone sales rose by 48%.

However, sales of its iPad tablet computer fell for the second quarter in a row, down 9% to 13.3 million.

In a statement, Apple chief executive Tim Cook said he was "incredibly excited" about new operating systems for iPhones and computers as well as "new products and services that we can't wait to introduce".

New phone

There is much interest in the tech world about Apple's next iPhone model.

For the last two years the company has launched a new phone in September and this year analysts are expecting phones with bigger screens.

The iPhone is crucial to Apple's success as it generates more than half of the company's revenue.

There was some surprise among analysts that sales remained strong in the most recent quarter, as often buyers hold back if they suspect a new model will be released in the near future.