\n Apple reported fourth-quarter earnings on Thursday that provided an early glimpse into how the iPhone 17 lineup may be catching on so far.\n <\/p>\n
\n Apple\u2019s earnings for the quarter that ended in September met analysts\u2019 expectations on revenue but slightly missed on iPhone sales. iPhone sales in the fourth quarter were $49 billion, up from $46.2 billion compared to the same period a year ago but slightly lower than the $50.1 billion Wall Street was expecting. Overall revenue was $102.5 billion, an increase from $94.9 billion a year ago.\n <\/p>\n
\n Apple says both revenue and iPhone sales numbers represent a record for the fourth quarter. Services revenue, another closely watched metric, also hit an all-time record at $28.8 billion, an increase from roughly $25 billion a year ago.\n <\/p>\n
\n During Apple\u2019s earnings call on Thursday, CEO Tim Cook said the company expects the December quarter\u2019s revenue \u201cto be the best ever for the company and the best ever for the iPhone,\u201d suggesting strong iPhone 17 sales.\n <\/p>\n
\n Apple shares were up around 3% in after-hours trading.\n <\/p>\n
\n Wall Street is looking for assurance that Apple\u2019s biggest revenue driver is still growing despite concerns that the company is behind in the AI race. Analysts had estimated strong demand for the iPhone 17 lineup, which Apple launched in late September.\n <\/p>\n
\n However, overall sales in China shrunk compared to a year ago, with the company generating $14.5 billion in revenue in the region. In 2024, Apple earned $15 billion during the same period. Cook said on Thursday that he expects iPhone revenue to return to growth in China in the current quarter based on how the iPhone 17 is being received.\n <\/p>\n
\n Thursday\u2019s results paint an early picture of iPhone sales since its fourth quarter ended on September 27, eight days after the iPhone 17 launch. Still, it\u2019s possible that sales slowed in the July and August months as consumers waited for the iPhone 17.\n <\/p>\n