Apple has once again posted record quarterly profits and sales, with this week’s surprise news about Steve Jobs’ health failing to cloud another successful three months for the Cupertino company.

Profits for the three months to December 25 2010 sat at a colossal $6 billion, compared to $3.38 billion in the same period in 2009. Revenue was up to a mind-blowing $26.74 billion from $15.68 billion.

But it’s the sales figures which really show Apple kit remains the ultimate gadget must-have. iPhone sales jumped by 86 per cent to 16.24 million, with Macs jumping 23 per cent to 4.13 million. The iPad, not released in the comparable previous quarter, shifted 7.33 million. In the last quarterly report, it said it had sold 3.27 million of the tablets. Clearly it’s new rivals have a long way to go to match the iPad’s success.

The only sour note was the performance of the iPod line, which once again registered a fall. The drop was seven per cent, but still 19.45 million iPods flew off shelves.

For more on this story and Apple’s reaction to questions regarding its quarterly earnings call, stay tuned to our Facebook and Twitter pages.