Apple is set to report the biggest annual profit in corporate history this September thanks to enduring demand for the iPhone.

Apple is set to report the biggest annual profit in corporate history this September thanks to enduring demand for the iPhone.

The tech firm has earned $52.5 billion this fiscal year, analysts claim, dismissing fears that successful smartphone brands in China would eclipse one of the most lucrative markets.

It comes after Apple reported the biggest quarterly profit ever generated by one company's products - $18 billion - at the end of 2014.

Figures suggest the landmark profit was fueled by rocketing iPhone and Mac sales.

Apple broke new ground by selling 74.5 million iPhones over Christmas after the launch of the iPhone 6, accounting for more than a third of the firm's quarterly income.

A further 61 million were sold in the first quarter of 2015, and analysts expect 47 million to be sold over summer.

And the firm is preparing for record-breaking sales of the new iPhone 6s model by ordering 90 million handsets ahead of the launch.

The figures are promising for Apple following speculation the iPhone could struggle to hold its own in China against Samsung and Xiaomi.  

Macs, too, have proved successful, with sales up 16.1 per cent, as PCs fall out of favor.

However, the firm has kept Apple Watch sales under wraps - amid speculation the flagship product was a flop.

THE IPOD TOUCH ISN'T DEAD - APPLE UPDATES MUSIC PLAYER

Apple on Wednesday updated its top-of-the-line iPod in a move that came just weeks after the iconic company launched a new streaming music service.

Apple released a new iPod touch that boasted improved cameras, speedier graphics and better fitness tracking capabilities. The iPod touch, essentially an iPhone without the costs or benefits of cellular network connections, had a starting price of $199.

Apple released a new iPod touch that boasted improved cameras, speedier graphics and better fitness tracking capabilities ©Justin Sullivan (Getty/AFP/File)

'iPod touch gives customers around the world access to Apple Music, the App Store and iOS,' Apple executive Greg Joswiak said in a release, referring to the software powering the California company's mobile devices.

China remains a concern: the struggling economy could and stock market crash sowed fear that Apple's steady rise in Asia could come to a premature halt.

And analysts warn Apple will have to be prepared to change their strategy when most consumers already have an iPhone. 

Apple provided third quarter guidance of revenue between $46 billion and $48 billion, gross margin between 38.5% and 39.5%, operating expenses between $5.65 billion and $5.75 billion and other expenses of $350 million, while the consensus among analysts was an EPS of $1.79. 

Apple is expected to beat both that guidance, which is purposefully conservative, and street expectations. 

As these graphs show, the iPhone has driven success and the firm has held strong in China despite fears

In its last results,it reported a sharp rise in its quarterly profit, lifted by robust sales of its iPhones and a jump in revenue from China.

The California tech giant said profit rose 33 percent from a year ago to $13.6 billion, lifted by sales of 61 million iPhones in the first three months of the year. 

Revenue increased 27 percent from the same period a year ago to $58.01 billion, Apple said.

A major contributor was the expansion of iPhone sales in China. Revenue for 'greater China' leapt 71 percent to $16.8 billion in the quarter, allowing the region to overtake Europe as Apple's second-largest market.

Figures suggest the landmark profit was fueled by rocketing iPhone and Mac sales.

'We are thrilled by the continued strength of iPhone, Mac and the App Store, which drove our best March quarter results ever,' said chief executive Tim Cook.

'We're seeing a higher rate of people switching to iPhone than we've experienced in previous cycles, and we're off to an exciting start to the June quarter with the launch of Apple Watch.'

The results for the second fiscal quarter exclude the new Apple smartwatch, which began deliveries last week in nine countries.

Apple offered no figures for Apple Watch sales, but Cook said during a conference call that the response has been 'overwhelmingly positive.'

'It's been really great to see the reaction of customers since their watches arrived Friday,' he said.

Analysts expect an average annual growth rate of 14.5 per cent moving forward after this landmark year