Ahead of a refresh of the iPhone, Apple Inc. reported 12% profit growth and strong sales of its current handset, especially in markets far afield from its traditional customer base in the U.S.

The iPhone results stood in contrast to iPad sales, which slid for the second consecutive quarter, raising questions about the future of Apple's tablet as the company gears up to launch bigger-screen iPhone models.

The consumer electronics giant said it sold 35.2 million iPhones in the quarter ended June 28, up 12.7% from a year earlier and just shy of analysts' estimates. Apple said the growth was helped by demand from Brazil, Russia, India, and China—collectively known as the BRIC countries—where iPhone sales rose 55%.

The iPhone growth propelled Apple's profit in its third quarter to $7.75 billion, up from $6.9 billion in the year-ago period. Revenue rose 6% to $37.4 billion.

"We're thrilled with the results, and we're thrilled with where we are going," Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said in an interview. "The momentum is really strong."