Apple also set a record for iPod sales outside of the always lucrative holiday quarter. The company sold more than 11 million iPods, an 8 percent jump in unit growth with a 3 percent rise in revenue over the year-ago quarter. Sales were essentially flat from third-quarter iPod sales.

International sales accounted for 41 percent of the quarter's revenue, according to Apple.

The company met its goal of opening 242 retail stores by the end of its fiscal year; Apple ended the quarter with 247 Apple Stores. Average revenue at the stores was $7.6 million with the retail outlets averaging weekly 14,500 visitors per store.

Apple's fourth-quarter numbers came out as the economy continues to stumble, providing a challenging atmosphere for a company that specializes in consumer goods such as computers, phones, and music players. That may have accounted for the presence of Jobs on the conference call; Apple's CEO typically leaves such duties to Oppenheimer and chief operating officer Tim Cook.

"Some remarkable things are happening at Apple, but everything is now set against the backdrop against this economic slowdown," Jobs said.