China sales polish Q2 earnings for Apple

Strong iPhone reception in Asia props up modest 6% revenue rise

Apple Inc posted a smaller-than-expected 6 percent rise in quarterly revenue on Tuesday, but revenue surged 28 percent in greater China despite stiff competition in the US tech company's third-largest market.

It sold 35.2 million iPhones in the June quarter, up about 13 percent and in line with analysts' projections. Its strong performance in the Asian market was considered crucial to Apple's long-term growth prospects.