Apple posts record iPhone sales as Mac revenues fall

Apple has reported its strongest-ever quarterly iPhone sales, helping to lift overall revenues despite weaker performance in other parts of the business.

In results published on Thursday, the US technology giant said total revenue rose to $144bn (£82.5bn) in the final three months of last year, driven by record sales of the iPhone.

Apple said iPhone demand reached an all-time high during the quarter, supported by improved sales in China, as well as continued strength across Europe, the Americas and Japan.

The strong iPhone performance offset slower growth elsewhere in the business. Revenue from wearables and accessories, including products such as the Apple Watch and wireless earbuds, fell by around 3 per cent year on year.

Sales of Mac computers declined by just over 7 per cent over the same period, reflecting softer demand for personal computers as consumers and businesses continue to delay hardware upgrades.

The mixed performance highlights Apple’s ongoing reliance on the iPhone as its primary growth engine, even as it looks to diversify revenues across services, hardware and emerging technologies.

Amy Ingham

Amy is a newly qualified journalist specialising in business journalism at Business Matters with responsibility for news content for what is now the UK’s largest print and online source of current business news.