Apple has posted its positive Q4 results with sales of iPhones and Apple Macintosh computers rising.

Global technology company Apple has posted its Q4 results, reporting a marked increase in profits and revenue due to the increasing popularity of iPhones and laptops.

Demand for Apple’s iPhones, laptops and desktop computers has risen despite the ongoing economic crisis.

Apple posted a net profit of $1.67 billion (£1bn) in the three months to 26 September, up 47% compared to the same period last year. Sales also increased by 25% to $9.87bn.

The sales of Apple Macintosh computers rose by 17% compared to the Q4 results last year to 3.05 million units. Apple sold 7.4 million iPhones during the quarter, representing a 7% growth on a year earlier.

The release of Apple’s latest operating system, Snow Leopard, earlier this year has boosted sales of both desktop computers and laptops.

However, the sales of Apple’s iPod have fallen by 8% compared to the same quarter last year.

Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, said: “We are thrilled to have sold more Macs and iPhones than in any previous quarter. We’ve got a very strong lineup for the holiday season and some really great new products in the pipeline for the 2010.”

Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s CFO, said: “For the full year, we grew revenue by 12 percent and net income by 18 percent in extraordinarily challenging times.

“Looking ahead to the first fiscal quarter of 2010, we expect revenue in the range of about $11.3bn to $11.6bn and we expect diluted earnings per share in the range of about $1.70 to $1.78.”

Later this week, rival Microsoft is set to launch its new operating system, Windows 7.