Apple Beats Forecasts with iPhone 17 Demand Surge

Apple has projected a stronger-than-expected holiday quarter, driven by soaring demand for its new iPhone 17 lineup, even as supply challenges and shipping delays continue to test production limits.

The tech giant announced its fiscal fourth-quarter results, posting revenue of $102.47 billion and earnings of $1.85 per share, both slightly above analyst expectations. However, iPhone sales came in at $49.03 billion, just shy of forecasts, as Apple struggled to meet overwhelming orders for several iPhone 17 and iPhone 16 models.

The delay in launching the iPhone Air — Apple’s slimmest model yet — in China until October 22 due to regulatory issues affected regional sales. Revenue from Greater China slipped to $14.49 billion, compared with estimates of $16.24 billion. The delay, stemming from the device’s e-SIM-only design, temporarily slowed Apple’s growth in one of its most crucial markets.

Despite these hurdles, CEO Tim Cook expressed confidence in the coming months, revealing that Apple expects double-digit iPhone sales growth and overall revenue to rise 10–12% year over year in its holiday-focused first quarter of 2026 — a projection that surpasses Wall Street forecasts.

Beyond iPhones, Apple’s ecosystem continued to perform steadily. Its services division, which includes Apple TV and streaming content, generated $28.75 billion, while Mac sales reached $8.73 billion and iPad revenue stood at $6.95 billion. The company’s wearables and accessories segment, home to AirPods and Apple Watch, brought in $9.01 billion, buoyed by the launch of new AirPods with real-time AI translation features.

While Apple’s stock dipped 1.5% following the announcement, analysts noted that investor caution largely stems from the company’s slower rollout of artificial intelligence tools compared to rivals. The much-anticipated Siri overhaul and deeper AI integrations are set for next year, keeping anticipation high.

For now, Apple’s biggest challenge — and success — lies in keeping up with demand. With iPhone 17 orders outpacing supply, Cook called it “a good problem to have.” As the festive shopping season begins, Apple appears well-positioned to reclaim its growth momentum, powered by innovation and unrelenting consumer appetite for its latest devices.