15M iPads, 37M iPhones, 5.2M Macs: Apple doubles its profits to $13.1bn – a record high for the Cupertino giant.

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Net income or net profit for its first fiscal quarter 2012 to Dec 31 was $13.1bn – double the $6bn recorded a year ago.

And its thanks to stellar sales of iPhone 4S released just a day before the death of its legendary CEO Steve Jobs.

All earnings enjoyed record highs – revenue jumped an astonishing 73% to $46.3 bn – or $13.87 per diluted share – more than doubled the $32.5bn figure Apple’s itself predicted, meaning Cupertino out did even its own predictions.

These latest figures make Apple the most valuable company in the world by market capitalisation, making revenue figures for period 2011 of $26.74bn look paltry by comparision.

And what a first quarter it’s been, despite the loss of CEO and co- founder Steve Jobs and his product genius.

The fiscal 2012 first quarter spanned 14 weeks and included the crucial Christmas sales period.

Apple sold a whopping 37.04 million iPhones, representing 128% growth – and beating analysts predictions, who forecast 30-32 million sales.

This result could now push Apple to number one smartphone brand in the world as rival Samsung was thought to have sold around 32m smarties during its latest quarter.

Cupertino previously said it sold 1 million on the first weekend its new iPhone 4S smartphone went on sale, which also sold out in record time here in Oz.

“Nearly all of the top companies in the Fortune 500 now approve and support iPhones on their networks,” CFO Peter Oppenheimer said at conference call, announcing the jaw dropping results.

Notable corporate newcomers now affliiated to the iPhone include Nike, Facebook, Credit Suisse, and companies are also developing “mission critical apps” for their employees deployed via mobile devices.

Apple premiered the notion of mobile applications just a few years ago – a gamble that now appears to have paid off in rather large dividends.

Apple also staked a bet on massive iPhone sales, but “as it turns out, we didn’t bet high enough,” CEO Tim Cook added.

“Our customers are loving iPhone, and we’re very happy with that.”

iPhone 4S, which saw introduction of Siri personal assistant, was Apple’s most popular model (au naturel) beating out the iPhone 4 and 3GS hands down.

iPhone demand in China, where Apple has a massive cult following was also “staggering.”

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A record new high of 15.43m iPads were sold, despite the company not releasing any new model since early 2011.

The astonishing tablet growth was 111 % year-on-year, Apple said in a statement today, saying the figure was “unprecedented.”

Most Fortune 500 firms were also jumping on the iPad bandwagon, Apple bosses said, with Cook dismissing the ascendancy of the “limited function” Amazon rival Kindle $200 tab, claiming it had no “obvious effect.”

Mac computer sales also soared to 5.2 million during the quarter, a 26% surge. iPad is also cannibalising Mac sales, Cook admitted, although added the cult tablet was also eating up far more Microsoft Windows PCs.

However, it wasn’t such good news for iPods which fell over 20% to 15.4m unit sales.

International sales accounted for 58% of the revenue figure, meaning Cupertino’s expansion abroad including China is paying off dividends. Japan was its single biggest growth market this quarter (+148%) followed by the Americas (+92%) and it is also eying up Brazil for future growth.

Apple new CEO, Tim Cook, said he was “thrilled” with the results and hinted of some “amazing” products in the pipeline.

Could he be talking about iTV, Apple’s new venture into the living room tipped for release later this year?

“We’re thrilled with our outstanding results and record-breaking sales of iPhones, iPads and Macs,” said Cook.

“Apple’s momentum is incredibly strong, and we have some amazing new products in the pipeline.”

However, what goes up must come down (eventually) and Apple are predicting growth will not be as stellar next quarter, forecasting revenue of $32.5bn and diluted earnings per share of about $8.50, Peter Oppenheimer, Chief Financial Officer, warned.

Cupertino generated over $17.5 billion in cash flow from operations during the December quarter, which Oppenheimer said it was “very happy” about.

Gross margin also surged to 44.7% more than 6% jump on the same time last year. 

 “Looking ahead to the second fiscal quarter of 2012, which will span 13 weeks, we expect revenue of about $32.5 billion and we expect diluted earnings per share of about $8.50.”