Apple to release iPhone 5 sales (and 2012 earnings) on Oct. 25

The results of a hard-to-predict quarter are coming out a little late this year

FORTUNE -- Apple's (AAPL) fourth fiscal quarter of 2012 -- which closed last Saturday, Sept. 29 -- was supposed to be even weaker than the third.

As CEO Tim Cook explained to analysts last July, Q3's earnings were reduced by customers who put off...