Apple presented its financial results for the first quarter of 2026 and they significantly exceed what the market expected. Almost USD 144 billion. revenue, i.e. 16 percent growth year over year, and the star that stole the show is undoubtedly iPhone sales. Customers even rushed to the latest generations of Apple smartphones, as a result, the revenue from their sales increased by as much as 23%. year to year – from USD 69.138 billion for USD 85.269 billion. It is an absolute record in the history of the companywhich exceeds market estimates by almost USD 7 billion. and more than enough to fill the void created by the poor performance of Macs and smartwatches.
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The success of the latest iPhones is largely due to them huge popularity in two important marketswhere Apple had problems: India and China. Especially in the Middle Kingdom, there is a huge increase in iPhone sales, because sales revenues in China increased by as much as 38%. – a significant part of which comes from customers who decided to switch from Android. It is clearly visible that among smartphone users there was a dormant desire to change their smartphone to a newer one and release the best basic iPhone in years, and the drastic change in the design of the Pro models aroused this desire to an extent that few people expected.
The most popular smartphones of 2025. Total domination of iPhones
Apple's latest financial report coincided with a report by the analytical company Counterpoint Research, thanks to which we have insight into most popular smartphones of 2025 For 10 years it has been filled only with Samsung and Apple smartphones, and it has stayed that way again dominated by iPhones, which took 7 of the top 10 positions.
The list of the most popular smartphones is dominated by Apple.
Not surprisingly, the top three places are occupied by iPhones that debuted a year earlier, because they were sold for the full 12 months, not the last few months of the year. The best-selling new iPhone is the most expensive one iPhone 17 Pro Max. It can be seen that users liked its rather controversial design and New iPhones are still bought first by the brand's most devoted and affluent fans.
He also made a good start the base iPhone 17, which, according to the CR report, sold by 16%. better than its predecessor in the same period of 2024. Even the often criticized iPhone 16e was on the list, which proves how little popularity it enjoys iPhone Air, which can easily be called a dud.
Managing the supply chain of iPhone components is the biggest challenge of 2026.
It is the proverbial spoonful of tar in this very optimistic situation for Apple uncertainty surrounding 2026. One of the biggest challenges this year for smartphone manufacturers is ensuring the supply of key chips, mainly processors and memory, for which they must compete with data center equipment manufacturers. Somewhat paradoxically, stronger-than-expected iPhone sales have contributed to lower inventory levels, putting additional pressure on an already tight supply chain.
Apple stated during its conference that For now, he has everything under control and has signed the necessary contracts with component suppliers for the coming months. However, the second half of the year, in which Apple will introduce the next generation of iPhones, is still a huge question mark. Practice shows that Apple is very good at supply chain management and is able to negotiate contracts, which is why it enters 2026 in a better situation than the vast majority of its competitors. However, even Apple will have to face the rising production costs of its devices, and many people wonder whether they will translate into higher iPhone prices.
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple. He probably looked very similar when he saw the company's results from the last quarter.
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Arturo Holmes / Staff / Getty Images
Perhaps Apple will decide to maintain their prices and accept the decline in marginsto take advantage of the competition's problems and thus gain even more market share – of course, if it can produce enough of its devices at all. However, even in such a situation, repeating the results from this record quarter will be very difficult. As we mentioned, it is so good thanks to, among other things, the fact that many smartphone users have been waiting for years for equipment that they consider worth buying, and the new design of the Pro models and huge changes in the specifications of the base model perfectly hit this dormant sales potential. Some people may have also decided to buy a new phone due to the announcement of an increase in electronics prices in 2026. Although industry rumors indicate that we may finally see the first foldable iPhone this year, it is unlikely that it will be able to accelerate iPhone sales on its own to a level that would break the record set just now.
Another advantage for Apple is that something has finally happened regarding Apple Intelligence, which may be an impulse to replace the phone for users of older iPhones, but one may also doubt whether it will be large enough. However, these are problems for the future Tim Cook. Thanks to the record quarter, the incumbent has postponed the idea of having to choose a successor, at least for now.
