**Apple Reports Mixed Fiscal Fourth-Quarter Earnings, China Revenue Falls Short**

Apple announced its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings after markets closed on Thursday, surpassing profit and revenue expectations. The iPhone sector notably exceeded analyst predictions, contributing to the overall revenue beat. However, Apple's iPad, wearables, and services segments did not meet analysts' revenue estimates.

CEO Tim Cook expressed satisfaction with the strong performance, highlighting that the active installed base of Apple devices reached a record high in every product category and geographic area. Cook attributed this achievement to exceptional customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Despite these positives, Apple faced unexpected challenges in China, where revenue came in at $15.03 billion. This figure was below the projected $15.8 billion, causing some concern among investors. As a result, Apple's stock saw an immediate drop of approximately 1% following the earnings report.

Apple's earnings call with analysts began promptly at 5 p.m. ET, where the company's executives provided further insights and addressed queries related to the quarterly performance and future outlook.