A closer look at Apple’s Mac business

One of the bright spots in Apple’s earnings report yesterday was the Mac business, which reported a record 4.9 million shipments and passed $6 billion in quarterly sales for the first time ever.

As the iPhone and iPad have become smash hits, the Mac isn’t the growth driver that it once was. But thanks to devices like the popular new MacBook Air, it keeps humming along, outpacing the PC industry in growth quarter after quarter.

I’ve put together the following charts, offering an overview of the Mac business, and some context on how it’s growing relative to some of Apple’s other businesses. For more, you should also check out yesterday’s post, Apple’s quarter in charts.

Also: A look at the Mac App Store, two months after Lion launched