Apple added approximately 10,400 more full-time workers during its 2008 financial year, a 48 percent rise over 2007, filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission show. The figure is found within the company's 10-K report, which also notes a total of 32,000 full-time workers as of September 27th, plus 3,100 contract or temporary workers. From these groups some 8,000 people were directed into the company's retail chain, which added 50 more locations around the world.

The company is also said to have spent a tremendous sum on research and development during the year, pushing costs up 40 percent to reach $1.1 billion. The R&D division is however considered extremely important to Apple's success, as it not only determines the direction of Apple designs but produces proprietary technologies such as multi-touch.

SEC filings have also revealed that Apple CEO Steve Jobs was compensated with $189,000 for business use of his Gulfstream jet.