Apple has recorded soaring sales since the beginning of the pandemic, with particular momentum seen in China.

The company recorded profits more than doubling to $23.6bn (£16.9bn), up from $11.3bn (£8.1bn) for the same period last year.

It also reported revenues up 54% year on year to $89.6bn (£64.2bn) in the quarter to March 27, for which international sales made up 67%.

Sales in China fared especially well, almost doubling during the period compared with the same quarter last year.

Apple said demand for its phones, apps and other devices grew throughout the pandemic as consumers spent more time at home working, shopping and using media online.

It added that many of its customers upgraded their phones to 5G and that Macs and iPads were also in demand to tackle home-working and home-schooling situations, while fitness and music apps led the way as people sought entertainment in lockdown.

Chief executive Tim Cook said: “This quarter reflects both the enduring ways our products have helped our users meet this moment in their own lives, as well as the optimism that consumers seem to feel about better days ahead for all of us.

“Apple is in a period of sweeping innovation across our product line-up and we’re keeping focused on how we can help our teams and the communities where we work emerge from this pandemic into a better world.

”That certainly begins with products like the all-new iMac and iPad Pro, but it extends to efforts like the 8GW of new clean energy we’ll help bring on to the grid and our $430bn investment in the United States over the next five years.”