currently estimated 24-month economic life, as well as revenue from sales of iPhone accessories and from carrier agreements.

Net sales of other music related products and services increased $844 million or 34% during 2008 compared to 2007, due primarily to significantly increased net sales from the iTunes Store in each of the Company’s geographic segments. The Company believes this success is the result of heightened consumer interest in downloading third-party digital content, the expansion of third-party audio and video content available for sale and rent via the iTunes Store, and the launch of the iTunes App Store. The Company continues to expand its iTunes content offerings around the world.

Segment Operating Performance

The Company manages its business primarily on a geographic basis. The Company’s reportable operating segments consist of the Americas, Europe, Japan and Retail. The Americas, Europe and Japan reportable segments do not include activities related to the Retail segment. The Americas segment includes both North and South America. The Europe segment includes European countries as well as the Middle East and Africa. The Retail segment operates Apple-owned retail stores in the U.S. and in international markets. Each reportable geographic operating segment and the Retail operating segment provide similar hardware and software products and similar services. Further information regarding the Company’s operating segments may be found in Note 9, “Segment Information and Geographic Data” in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements of this Form 10-K.

Americas

During 2009, net sales in the Americas segment increased $1.6 billion or 11% compared to 2008. The increase in net sales during 2009 was attributable to the significant year-over-year increase in iPhone revenue, higher sales of third-party digital content and applications from the iTunes Store, and increased sales of Mac portable systems, which were partially offset by a decrease in sales of Mac desktop systems and iPods. Americas Mac net sales decreased 6% due primarily to lower average selling prices, while Mac unit sales increased by 4% on a year-over-year basis. The increase in Mac unit sales was due primarily to strong demand for the MacBook Pro, which was updated in June 2009 and October 2008. The Americas segment represented approximately 44% and 45% of the Company’s total net sales in 2009 and 2008, respectively.

During 2008, net sales in the Americas segment increased $3.0 billion or 26% compared to 2007. The primary drivers of this growth were the significant year-over-year increase in sales of the iPod touch, Mac portable systems, content from the iTunes Store, and iPhone. The Company began shipping iPhone in June 2007 and the growth in iPhone sales in 2008 resulted from a full year of iPhone shipments as well as stronger demand for iPhones in the fourth quarter of 2008. The increase in Mac net sales of $1.3 billion or 30% and Mac unit sales of 961 million or 32% is attributable to growth in sales of all of the Mac portable systems, particularly the MacBook, and higher sales of the iMac. Net sales of iPods increased due to a shift in product mix toward higher