This section and other parts of this Form 10-Q contain forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "believes," "plans," "will," "would," "could," and similar terms. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and the Company's actual results may differ significantly from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in Part II, Item 1A, "Risk Factors" of this Form 10-Q, which are incorporated herein by reference. The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 24, 2011 (the "2011 Form 10-K") filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and the condensed consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included elsewhere in this Form 10-Q. All information presented herein is based on the Company's fiscal calendar. Unless otherwise stated, references in this report to particular years or quarters refer to the Company's fiscal years ended in September and the associated quarters of those fiscal years. Each of the terms the "Company" and "Apple" as used herein refers collectively to Apple Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, unless otherwise stated. The Company assumes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements for any reason, except as required by law.

Available Information

The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to reports filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), are filed with the SEC. Such reports and other information filed by the Company with the SEC are available on the Company's website at http://www.apple.com/investor when such reports are available on the SEC website. The public may read and copy any materials filed by the Company with the SEC at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Room 1580, Washington, DC 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. The contents of these websites are not incorporated into this filing. Further, the Company's references to the URLs for these websites are intended to be inactive textual references only.

Executive Overview

The Company designs, manufactures, and markets mobile communication and media devices, personal computers, and portable digital music players, and sells a variety of related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications. The Company's products and services include iPhone®, iPad®, Mac ®, iPod®, Apple TV®, a portfolio of consumer and professional software applications, the iOS and Mac OS® X operating systems, iCloud ®, and a variety of accessory, service and support offerings. The Company also sells and delivers digital content and applications through the iTunes Store®, App Store™, iBookstore™, and Mac App Store. The Company sells its products worldwide through its retail stores, online stores, and direct sales force, as well as through third-party cellular network carriers, wholesalers, retailers, and value-added resellers. In addition, the Company sells a variety of third-party iPhone, iPad, Mac and iPod compatible products, including application software and various accessories through its online and retail stores. The Company sells to consumers, small and mid-sized businesses, and education, enterprise and government customers.

The Company is committed to bringing the best user experience to its customers through its innovative hardware, software, peripherals, and services. The Company's business strategy leverages its unique ability to design and develop its own operating systems, hardware, application software, and services to provide its customers new products and solutions with superior ease-of-use, seamless integration, and innovative design. As part of its strategy, the Company continues to expand its platform for the discovery and delivery of third-party digital content and applications through the iTunes Store. As part of the iTunes Store, the Company's App Store and iBookstore allow customers to discover and download applications and books through either a Mac or Windows-based computer or through "iOS devices," namely iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. In January 2011, the Company opened the Mac App Store to allow customers to easily discover, download and install Mac applications. The Company also supports a community for the development of third-party software and hardware products and digital content that complement the Company's offerings. The Company's strategy also includes expanding its distribution network to effectively reach more customers and provide them with a high-quality sales and post-sales support experience.

The Company uses a variety of direct and indirect distribution channels, such as its retail stores, online stores, and direct sales force, and third-party cellular network carriers, wholesalers, retailers, and value-added resellers. The Company believes that sales of its innovative and differentiated products are enhanced by knowledgeable salespersons who can convey the value of the hardware and software integration, and demonstrate the unique solutions that are available on its products. The Company further believes providing direct contact with its targeted customers is an effective way to demonstrate the advantages of its products over those of its competitors and providing a high-quality sales and after-sales support experience is critical to attracting new and retaining existing customers. To ensure a high-quality buying experience for its products in which service and education are emphasized, the Company continues to expand and improve its distribution capabilities by expanding the number of its own retail stores worldwide. Additionally, the Company has invested in programs to enhance reseller sales by placing high-quality Apple fixtures, merchandising materials and other resources within selected third-party reseller locations. Through the Apple Premium Reseller Program, certain third-party resellers focus on the Apple platform by providing a high level of integration and support services, and product expertise.

Products

The Company offers a range of mobile communication and media devices, personal computing products, and portable digital music players, as well as a variety of related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions and various third-party hardware and software products. In addition, the Company offers its own software products, including iOS, the Company's proprietary mobile operating system; Mac OS X, the Company's proprietary operating system software for its Mac computers; server software; and application software for consumer, education, and business customers.

In March 2012, the Company introduced the third generation iPad and an updated version of Apple TV. The Company also introduced iPhoto® for iOS, and provided updates to iMovie®, GarageBand® and iWork ® for iOS.

A detailed discussion of the Company's other products may be found in Part I, Item 1, "Business," of the Company's 2011 Form 10-K.

Future Quarterly Dividends and Stock Repurchase Program

In March 2012, the Company announced its plans to initiate a quarterly dividend of $2.65 per share of common stock beginning in the fourth quarter of 2012, subject to declaration by its Board of Directors. The Company further announced that the Board of Directors has authorized a program to repurchase up to $10 billion of the Company's common stock, commencing in 2013.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

The preparation of financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and the Company's discussion and analysis of its financial condition and operating results require the Company's management to make judgments, assumptions, and estimates that affect the amounts reported in its condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Note 1, "Summary of Significant Accounting Policies" in the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in Part I, Item 1 of this Form 10-Q and in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Part II, Item 8 of the Company's 2011 Form 10-K describes the significant accounting policies and methods used in the preparation of the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities. Actual results may differ from these estimates and such differences may be material.

Revenue Recognition

Net sales consist primarily of revenue from the sale of hardware, software, digital content and applications, peripherals, and service and support contracts. The Company recognizes revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred, the sales price is fixed or determinable, and collection is probable. Product is considered delivered to the customer once it has been shipped and title and risk of loss have been transferred. For most of the Company's product sales, these criteria are met at the time the product is shipped. For online sales to individuals, for some sales to education customers in the U.S., and for certain other sales, the Company defers recognition of revenue until the customer receives the product because the Company retains a portion of the risk of loss on these sales during transit. The Company recognizes revenue from the sale of hardware products, software bundled with hardware that is essential to the functionality of the hardware, and third-party digital content sold on the iTunes Store in accordance with general revenue recognition accounting guidance. The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with industry specific software accounting guidance for the following types of sales transactions: (i) standalone sales of software products, (ii) sales of software upgrades and (iii) sales of software bundled with hardware not essential to the functionality of the hardware.

For multi-element arrangements that include hardware products containing software essential to the hardware product's functionality, undelivered software elements that relate to the hardware product's essential software, and undelivered non-software services, the Company allocates revenue to all deliverables based on their relative selling prices. In such circumstances, the Company uses a hierarchy to determine the selling price to be used for allocating revenue to deliverables: (i) vendor-specific objective evidence of fair value ("VSOE"), (ii) third-party evidence of selling price ("TPE") and
(iii) best estimate of the selling price ("ESP"). VSOE generally exists only when the Company sells the deliverable separately and is the price actually charged by the Company for that deliverable. ESPs reflect the Company's best estimates of what the selling prices of elements would be if they were sold regularly on a stand-alone basis.

For sales of iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, for sales of iPod touch beginning in June 2010, and for sales of Mac beginning in June 2011, the Company has indicated it may from time-to-time provide future unspecified software upgrades and features free of charge to customers. In June 2011, the Company announced it would begin providing various non-software services to owners of qualifying versions of iOS devices and Mac. Because the Company has neither VSOE nor TPE for these unspecified software upgrade rights or the non-software services, revenue is allocated to these rights and services based on the Company's ESPs. Amounts allocated to the unspecified software upgrade rights and non-software services are deferred and recognized on a straight-line basis over the estimated lives of each of these devices, which range from 24 to 48 months. The Company's process for determining ESPs involves management's judgment. The Company's process considers multiple factors that may vary over time depending upon the unique facts and circumstances related to each deliverable. If the facts and circumstances underlying the factors considered change, including the estimated or actual costs incurred to provide non-software services or the estimated lives of the related devices, or should future facts and circumstances lead the Company to consider additional factors, the Company's ESP for software upgrades and non-software services related to future sales of these devices could change. If the estimated life of one or more of the devices should change, the future rate of amortization of the revenue allocated to the software upgrade rights would also change.

Valuation and Impairment of Marketable Securities

The Company's investments in available-for-sale securities are reported at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses related to changes in the fair value of securities are recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax, in the Company's Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Changes in the fair value of available-for-sale securities impact the Company's net income only when such securities are sold or an other-than-temporary impairment is recognized. Realized gains and losses on the sale of securities are determined by specific identification of each security's cost basis. The Company regularly reviews its investment portfolio to determine if any security is other-than-temporarily impaired, which would require the Company to record an impairment charge in the period any such determination is made. In making this judgment, the Company evaluates, among other things, the duration and extent to which the fair value of a security is less than its cost, the financial condition of the issuer and any changes thereto, and the Company's intent to sell, or whether it is more likely than not it will be required to sell, the security before recovery of the its amortized cost basis. The Company's assessment on whether a security is other-than-temporarily impaired could change in the future due to new developments or changes in assumptions related to any particular security.

Inventory Valuation and Inventory Purchase Commitments

The Company must order components for its products and build inventory in advance of product shipments. The Company records a write-down for inventories of components and products, including third-party products held for resale, which have become obsolete or are in excess of anticipated demand or net realizable value. The Company performs a detailed review of inventory each fiscal quarter that considers multiple factors including demand forecasts, product life cycle status, product development plans, current sales levels, and component cost trends. The industries in which the Company competes are subject to a rapid and unpredictable pace of product and component obsolescence and demand changes. If future demand or market conditions for the Company's products are less favorable than forecasted or if unforeseen technological changes negatively impact the utility of component inventory, the Company may be required to record additional write-downs, which would negatively affect its results of operations in the period when the write-downs were recorded.

The Company records accruals for estimated cancellation fees related to component orders that have been cancelled or are expected to be cancelled. Consistent with industry practice, the Company acquires components through a combination of purchase orders, supplier contracts, and open orders based on projected demand information. These commitments typically cover the Company's requirements for periods up to 150 days. If there is an abrupt and substantial decline in demand for one or more of the Company's products or an unanticipated change in technological requirements for any of the Company's products, the Company may be required to record additional accruals for cancellation fees that would negatively affect its results of operations in the period when the cancellation fees are identified and recorded.

The Company provides for the estimated cost of hardware and software warranties at the time the related revenue is recognized based on historical and projected warranty claim rates, historical and projected cost-per-claim, and knowledge of specific product failures that are outside of the Company's typical experience. Each quarter, the Company reevaluates its estimates to assess the adequacy of its recorded warranty liabilities considering the size of the installed base of products subject to warranty protection and adjusts the amounts as necessary. If actual product failure rates or repair costs differ from estimates, revisions to the estimated warranty liabilities would be required and could materially affect the Company's results of operations.

Income Taxes

The Company records a tax provision for the anticipated tax consequences of the reported results of operations. The provision for income taxes is computed using the asset and liability method, under which deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities, and for operating losses and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using the currently enacted tax rates that apply to taxable income in effect for the years in which those tax assets are expected to be realized or settled. The Company records a valuation allowance to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount that is believed more likely than not to be realized.

The Company recognizes tax benefits from uncertain tax positions only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such positions are then measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement.

Management believes it is more likely than not that forecasted income, including income that may be generated as a result of certain tax planning strategies, together with future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, will be sufficient to fully recover the deferred tax assets. In the event that the Company determines all or part of the net deferred tax assets are not realizable in the future, the Company will make an adjustment to the valuation allowance that would be charged to earnings in the period such determination is made. In addition, the calculation of tax liabilities involves significant judgment in estimating the impact of uncertainties in the application of GAAP and complex tax laws. Resolution of these uncertainties in a manner inconsistent with management's expectations could have a material impact on the Company's financial condition and operating results.

Legal and Other Contingencies

As discussed in Part II, Item 1 of this Form 10-Q under the heading "Legal Proceedings" and in Note 6, "Commitments and Contingencies" in the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in Part I, Item 1 of this Form 10-Q, the Company is subject to various legal proceedings and claims that arise in the ordinary course of business. The Company records a liability when it is probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount is reasonably estimable. There is significant judgment required in both the probability determination and as to whether an exposure can be reasonably estimated. In the opinion of management, there was not at least a reasonable possibility the Company may have incurred a material loss, or a material loss in excess of a recorded accrual, with respect to loss contingencies for legal and other contingencies. However, the outcome of legal proceedings and claims brought against the Company are subject to significant uncertainty. Therefore, although management considers the likelihood of such an outcome to be remote, if one or more of these legal matters were resolved against the Company in the same reporting period for amounts in excess of management's expectations, the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements of a particular reporting period could be materially adversely affected.

The Company's fiscal year is the 52 or 53-week period that ends on the last Saturday of September. The Company's fiscal year 2012 will include 53-weeks and will end on September 29, 2012. A 14th week has been included in the first quarter of 2012, as is done approximately every six years to realign the Company's fiscal quarters more closely to calendar quarters. The first quarter of 2011 spanned 13 weeks. Inclusion of the 14th week in the first quarter of 2012 increased the Company's overall net sales and operating expenses for the six months ended March 31, 2012.

Net Sales

The following table summarizes net sales by operating segment and net sales and
unit sales by product during the three- and six-month periods ended March 31,
2012 and March 26, 2011 (dollars in millions and units in thousands):



                                                    Three Months Ended                           Six Months Ended
                                           March 31,       March 26,                   March 31,       March 26,
                                             2012            2011         Change         2012            2011         Change
Net Sales by Operating Segment:
Americas net sales                        $    13,182     $     9,323         41%     $    30,896     $    18,541         67%
Europe net sales                                8,807           6,027         46%          20,063          13,283         51%
Japan net sales                                 2,645           1,383         91%           6,195           2,816        120%
Asia-Pacific net sales                         10,153           4,743        114%          17,850           9,730         83%
Retail net sales                                4,399           3,191         38%          10,515           7,038         49%

Total net sales                           $    39,186     $    24,667         59%     $    85,519     $    51,408         66%

Net Sales by Product:
Mac Desktops (a)(i)                       $     1,563     $     1,441          8%     $     3,499     $     3,172         10%
Mac Portables (b)(i)                            3,510           3,535        (1)%           8,172           7,234         13%

Total Mac net sales                             5,073           4,976          2%          11,671          10,406         12%

iPod (c)(i)                                     1,207           1,600       (25)%           3,735           5,025       (26)%
Other music related products and
services (d)                                    2,151           1,634         32%           4,178           3,065         36%
iPhone and related products and
services (e)(i)                                22,690          12,298         85%          47,107          22,766        107%
iPad and related products and services
(f)(i)                                          6,590           2,836        132%          15,743           7,444        111%
Peripherals and other hardware (g)                643             580         11%           1,409           1,173         20%
Software, service and other sales (h)             832             743         12%           1,676           1,529         10%

Total net sales                           $    39,186     $    24,667         59%     $    85,519     $    51,408         66%

Unit Sales by Product:
. . .