(Cupertino, CA) Although the economic outlook moving forward is foggy for Apple and all of Silicon Valley due to global financial conditions, CEO Steve Jobs has told investors that the handful of design, usability and technical innovation now represents almost 40 percent of Apple's overall revenues, quite a stunning performance by all accounts. Jobs made a rare appearance on yesterday's conference call, perhaps in response to a one day stock scare earlier this month after a false rumor spread that he had suffered a heart attack. Jobs and company both appear to be just fine. The CEO said that in Q4 Apple sold 6.9 million iPhones, more than the 6.1 million Blackberry's sold during the same quarter, and says Jobs, now by revenue making Apple the third largest mobile phone supplier in the world. Figures also show that the company sold 2.6 million Macs, a 21 percent jump over the same quarter last year. Although Apple stock shares have slid (along with a lot of other Silicon Valley companies,) Jobs said he believes the company will fare well through the economic slowdown (or, recession??) because they have "good customers, good products, good employees, $25 billion in cash and zero debt." Goodness! A Mac and an iPhone in every pot! How about arming everyone with a Mac and appointing Jobs to lead the world out of this economic slump :)

Back to the dreary realities, Yahoo is expected to cut staff by at least 10 percent before the end of Q4 to try and save $400 million.

financial data via paidContent.org

- Mark Gould