Apple (AAPL) Stock: iPhone 17 Crushes Records With 247 Million Shipments Coming in 2025

TLDR

• Apple is projected to ship 247.4 million iPhones in 2025, up 6% year-over-year and surpassing its previous 2021 record of 236 million units
• The iPhone 17 series is driving the surge with strong demand across all models, particularly in China where Apple gained over 20% market share in October and November
• China shipments are expected to jump 17% year-over-year in Q4, reversing a previously predicted 1% decline into 3% growth for the full year
• Apple is forecast to exceed $261 billion in revenue for 2025, representing 7.2% year-over-year growth and setting both shipment and value records
• IDC predicts a 4.2% drop in iPhone shipments for 2026 due to Apple’s plan to delay the base iPhone 18 model until spring 2027

Apple is headed for its best year ever. The tech giant is on track to ship 247.4 million iPhones in 2025, according to new forecasts from research firm IDC.

Apple Inc., AAPL

That number beats Apple’s previous record from 2021 when the iPhone 13 launched. Back then, the company shipped 236 million units.

The 6% year-over-year growth comes from strong demand for the iPhone 17 series. Every region is seeing increased sales, but China stands out as the real winner.

China Sales Flip the Script

Apple’s performance in China tells the comeback story. The company ranked first in October and November with over 20% market share, according to IDC’s China Monthly Sales data.

That lead puts Apple “miles ahead of the competition.” IDC revised its Q4 China forecast from 9% growth to 17% year-over-year growth based on these results.

The shift is dramatic. IDC originally predicted a 1% decline for Apple in China for 2025.

Now the firm expects 3% growth instead. The turnaround matters because local players like Huawei have been eating into Apple’s market share.

Fourth quarter China shipments alone are expected to jump 17% year-over-year. The iPhone 17 demand has been described as “massive” by IDC senior research director Nabila Popal.

Markets beyond China are responding too. The US and Western Europe had shown slower growth recently.

Both regions are now posting stronger numbers with the iPhone 17 launch. Apple’s worldwide performance isn’t just about unit sales either.

The company is forecast to exceed $261 billion in revenue for 2025. That represents 7.2% year-over-year growth and sets a new value record alongside the shipment record.

Looking Ahead to 2026

Apple CEO Tim Cook said in October the company expects to set an all-time revenue record in the December quarter. He also predicted a best-ever revenue record for the iPhone specifically.

Overall revenue should grow 10 to 12 percent year-over-year according to Apple’s own projections. The standard iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models are seeing particularly strong interest.

The iPhone Air hasn’t matched those performance levels. But the overall lineup is clearly resonating with buyers.

Apple’s momentum faces some headwinds next year though. The company plans to change its release schedule in 2026.

The high-end iPhone Fold and iPhone 18 Pro models will launch in September 2026 as usual. But the lower-priced iPhone 18 won’t arrive until spring 2027.

That delay breaks Apple’s traditional fall release cycle for all models. IDC predicts the shift will cause iOS shipments to drop 4.2% in 2026.

A global memory shortage will also create supply constraints and price increases across the smartphone market. IDC forecasts total global smartphone shipments could decline 0.9% in 2026 because of these supply issues and Apple’s lineup changes.

The iPhone 17 success helped Apple achieve something else this year. Counterpoint Research forecast last week that Apple will ship more smartphones than Samsung in 2025.

That would mark the first time in 14 years Apple has topped Samsung in shipments. The worldwide smartphone market is projected to grow just 1.5% overall in 2025, with Apple’s performance driving most of that expansion.

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