Apple reported today that they finished 2008 strong with a profit of $1.61 billion.  This was mainly due to iPods reporting an all-time high despite economic conditions being their worst in the last 4 decades.  Revenue was $10.17 billion in the three months ending on December 27, 2008.

“Even in these economically challenging times, we are incredibly pleased to report our best quarterly revenue and earnings in Apple history — surpassing 10 billion dollars in quarterly revenue for the first time ever,” stated Apple CEO Steve Jobs in a release.   Apple sold 2.52 million Macintosh computers during Q1 2009 and 22.73 million iPods.

Apple sold over 4.36 million iPhones this quarter.  This is almost double what they sold in the fiscal first quarter of last year.  However the Apple sold 6.9 million iPhones last quarter.  Even though there was a slowdown iPhones sold, this has not caused a slowdown in applications sold in the App Store.  Over 500 million applications have been sold within the last few months, also contributing to Apple’s profits.

During the earnings call, Apple COO Tim Cook made an interesting statement.  When asked about upcoming competition like the Pre, BlackBerry, and Android, Cook stated “We approach this business as a software platform business. We are watching the landscape. We like competition as long as they don’t rip off our IP. And if they do, we will go after anyone who does.”  The Palm Pre has a multi-touch user interface and Apple holds a patent on this.

Cook was also asked about whether he was talking about Palm in regards to that statement, he replied “I don’t want to talk about any specific company. We are ready to suit up and go against anyone. However, we will not stand for having our IP ripped off.”

Interestingly, Palm’s chairman is former Apple product chief Jon Rubinstein.  Rubinstein was put in charge of Palm by Elevation Partners.  Elevation Partners is Palm’s biggest investor, who made a recent $100 million investment for the Pre.  Elevation invested $325 million into Palm last year too.

[via TechCrunch and Apple PR]

Now that Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs has stepped out of the limelight for six months, it is time to get know some of the iPhone company’s other executives.  Most notably is Tim Cook, the current Chief Operating Officer of Apple.  While Steve is known to be a bit of an aggressive leader as demonstrated by the way he pounds on tables and throws fits.

Tim Cook will be watching over Apple while Steve is out on medical leave, yet he has a much different style of handling the company.  Cook is known for the way the marathons of meetings he runs and the late nights he spends at the office.  Cook’s job will have a bit more pressure while Steve is out.  Apple shareholders will be breathing down his neck to make sure he fills in the Apple leader’s shoes properly.

This isn’t the first time that Tim Cook has filled in for Steve Jobs.  In 2004, Tim filled in for Jobs while he underwent treatment for pancreatic cancer.  Jobs was away for more than a month.

Tim Cook went to Auburn University for undergraduation studies and followed it up with an MBA from Duke University.  Cook is also on the board of Nike Inc.  Apple hired Cook in 1998 to make Apple’s oversee logistics.  Apple’s manufacturing was so inefficient that they were losing customers to Dell Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Company.  Before Apple, Cook was VP at Compaq and spent 12 years at IBM before that.

Even though Cook doesn’t pound on the table and isn’t nearly as charasmatic as Steve, he has mastered the art of constant questioning.  “He is the master of the Socratic method — he will continue to ask why and why and why,” stated Mike Janes, who worked with Tim Cook for about 5 years.  “If you’re not prepared, it can be a very uncomfortable place.”