Apple (AAPL) Stock: iPhone 17 Pushes Company to Record 247 Million Shipments

TLDR

• Apple projected to ship 247.4 million iPhones in 2025, beating its 2021 record by over 11 million units with 6% year-over-year growth
• iPhone 17 series sparks turnaround in China with 17% Q4 shipment growth and over 20% market share in October and November
• Apple forecast to generate $261 billion in revenue for 2025, up 7.2% year-over-year, marking records in both shipments and value
• Company plans to delay base iPhone 18 model until spring 2027, which IDC predicts will drop 2026 shipments by 4.2%
• Apple expected to ship more smartphones than Samsung in 2025 for the first time in 14 years according to Counterpoint Research

Apple is about to have its biggest year ever. Research firm IDC forecasts the company will ship 247.4 million iPhones in 2025.

That beats Apple’s previous record of 236 million units from 2021. The iPhone 13 series held that crown until now.

Apple Inc., AAPL

The 6% year-over-year increase comes entirely from iPhone 17 demand. The new lineup is performing well across every major market.

China is leading the charge. Apple captured over 20% market share there in October and November, ranking first both months according to IDC data.

China Powers the Comeback

The China story represents a complete reversal. IDC originally forecast a 1% decline for Apple in the country for 2025.

Now the firm expects 3% growth instead. Fourth quarter China shipments alone are projected to jump 17% year-over-year.

That’s a massive swing driven by “phenomenal demand” for the iPhone 17 according to IDC senior research director Nabila Popal. Local competitors like Huawei had been gaining ground on Apple.

The iPhone 17 stopped that trend cold. Apple now sits miles ahead of its competition in China based on market share data.

Other regions are contributing too. The US and Western Europe had shown slower growth recently but both markets are rebounding with the iPhone 17 launch.

Apple isn’t just winning on volume. The company is forecast to exceed $261 billion in revenue for 2025, representing 7.2% year-over-year growth.

Revenue Records and 2026 Challenges

That revenue figure sets a new record alongside the shipment milestone. Apple CEO Tim Cook predicted in October the company would hit an all-time revenue record in the December quarter.

He also expects a best-ever revenue performance for the iPhone specifically. Apple’s internal projections call for 10 to 12 percent year-over-year revenue growth.

The standard iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models are seeing the strongest demand. The iPhone Air hasn’t matched their performance but the overall lineup is clearly resonating.

Apple will outship Samsung in 2025 for the first time in 14 years according to Counterpoint Research forecasts. The worldwide smartphone market is only growing 1.5% total, with Apple driving most of that expansion.

Next year looks different though. Apple plans to split its release schedule in 2026.

The 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 breaks Apple’s traditional fall release pattern. IDC predicts the change will cause iOS shipments to drop 4.2% in 2026.

A global memory shortage will add pressure. Supply constraints and price increases are expected across the entire smartphone market.

IDC forecasts total global smartphone shipments could decline 0.9% in 2026 due to these supply issues and Apple’s lineup timing changes.

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