60% of Apple sales last quarter were international

Apple’s latest quarterly results were another reminder of how important China has become for the U.S. company. But the biggest question for Apple in the Chinese market is just how much China Mobile can boost its sales. And the answer will have to wait, at least until Apple’s next quarterly earnings report. But one thing’s for sure:  within Apple’s overall business, China’s weight is already increasing.

Apple CEO Tim Cook today admitted that in its home market of North America, “we did not do as well…our business contracted year over year.” But to counterbalance that, the iPhone maker is pushing its international business. In the company’s Q1 2014 earnings, out earlier today, Apple says that international markets accounted for 64% of sales. As a point of comparison, international accounted for 60% of sales in Q4. Sales in Greater China and Japan, fuelled by Apple’s iPhone, have grown the most, respectively up 29% to $8.8 billion and 11% to $5 billion versus a year ago.