Apple’s latest iPhone 17 launch is off to a stronger start than expected, with people familiar with the company’s supply chain telling The Financial Times that early demand for the redesigned model has exceeded industry forecasts.
Those monitoring Apple’s suppliers, carrier activity, and delivery timelines said the iPhone 17’s rollout is showing faster-than-usual momentum, suggesting the tech giant may be on track for its best smartphone sales growth since before the pandemic.
According to data cited by The Financial Times from Visible Alpha, analysts now expect iPhone revenues to rise about 4% this fiscal year to $209.3 billion, and nearly 5% in 2026 to $218.9 billion. The turnaround follows two years of flat or declining sales.
Gene Munster, managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management, said the performance has surprised Wall Street. “It’s fair to describe the iPhone 17 launch as surprising versus where Wall Street expectations were at the end of August,” he told the paper. Munster noted that delivery wait times are roughly 13% longer than last year’s iPhone cycle, often a sign of strong demand.
Bank of America analysts also pointed to extended shipping times from Apple’s online store and mobile carriers, saying it “could indicate strong demand.”
Francisco Jeronimo from market research firm IDC echoed that sentiment, calling it “a very strong quarter for Apple,” adding that it’s the first time in years he’s seen queues forming outside Apple Stores. He said supply-chain checks show iPhone 17 orders are “much stronger” than last year’s iPhone 16.
Still, some analysts remain cautious. Jefferies recently downgraded Apple shares to “underperform,” warning that expectations for iPhone 17 demand may be overly optimistic.
While the designs didn’t change drastically, most people I know upgraded from older iPhones to new ones because of battery life. It’ll be interesting to see what iPhone revenues will be when Apple reports its Q4 earnings at the end of October.
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