As Apple prepares to announce its June calendar earnings (fiscal Q3), it’s time for the analysts to place their bets on how many iPhones Apple sold in the last quarter. And analysts aren’t too positive about it: the market consensus is 40 million units.
According to data compiled by AppleInsider, analyst Amit Daryanani of RBC Capital Markets estimates that Apple has shipped 39.5 million iPhones in the June quarter. That will be a steep decline compared to the 47.5 million units Apple sold in the same period a year ago.
There are two important aspects to consider when looking at the forecast: First, the iPhone 6 recorded huge sales immediately after launch, thanks to the new design and bigger screen. Secondly, the iPhone 6s launched a year later with the same design wasn’t able to deliver the growth rate of the iPhone 6; hence the decline in sales.
Daryanani expects Apple to post revenue of $42.1 billion, down from $49.6 billion from a year ago and roughly in line with Wall Street analyst estimates of $42.2 million.
He also mentions that the demand for the lower-cost iPhone SE, which was introduced this spring, is much higher than the supply, which is a good sign. Daryanani believes the average selling price of the iPhone will drop ahead of the anticipated iPhone 7 launch this September, which will drive iPhone sales up to 44 million units for the September quarter.
