Apple becomes top phone maker by profits -research

* Apple overtakes Nokia in Q3 -Strategy Analytics

* More profit on 7.4 mln iPhones than Nokia's 108.5 mln

* Apple entered cellphone market only mid-2007

* Nokia sued Apple last month claiming patent infringement

By Tarmo Virki, European technology correspondent

HELSINKI, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Apple (AAPL.O) overtook Nokia (NOK1V.HE) in the third quarter as the cellphone maker generating the highest total operating profit in the industry, research firm Strategy Analytics said on Tuesday.

Apple, which entered the cellphone market only in mid-2007 with its iPhones, sold a record 7.4 million of them in the third quarter.

"With strong volumes, high wholesale prices and tight cost controls, the PC vendor has successfully broken into the mobile phone market in just two years," said Alex Spektor, analyst at Strategy Analytics.

Apple does not unveil profits per business line, but Strategy Analytics estimated Apple's operating profit for its iPhone handset unit stood at $1.6 billion in the third quarter, compared with Nokia's $1.1 billion.