Apple Forecasted to Report Record Holiday Quarter Amid Concerns of Slowing iPhone Sales

Apple will announce its first quarter earnings tomorrow for the 2016 fiscal year, a three-month period that ended December 31, 2015. Financial analysts predict Apple's quarterly revenue will range between $74.6 billion and $82.4 billion, but some market watchers are unsure if Apple will top the record 74.5 million iPhones it sold in the year-ago quarter, due to perceived lower iPhone 6s sales.

iPhone 6s sales concerns might be more evident in Q2 2016, however, as Apple's newest products and services, including the Apple Watch, Apple Music and the new Apple TV, coupled with the busy holiday shopping season, fuel projections that Apple will again report the most profitable holiday quarter in not only the iPhone maker's nearly 40-year history, but of any company ever.

Apple's guidance is between $75.5 billion and $77.5 billion in quarterly revenue, while the consensus among professional analysts is around $76.5 billion.

Q1-2016-Apple-Estimates
Fortune has compiled a list of predictions from both amateur and professional analysts, along with Apple's guidance in orange.

Apple-Q1-2016-Estimates
Apple has never experienced a year-over-year decline in iPhone sales, so the next few quarterly earnings results will be interesting to follow. MacRumors will be providing live coverage of Apple's Q1 2016 earnings conference call with CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri on Tuesday at around 2:00 p.m. Pacific (5:00 p.m. Eastern). The earnings report will be released around 1:30 p.m. Pacific (4:30 p.m. Eastern).

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

New iPhone 17 Pro Details: Brighter Display, Best Battery Life, and More

Wednesday September 3, 2025 5:33 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models will feature a number of significant display, thermal, and battery improvements, according to new late-stage rumors. According to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital," the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature displays with higher brightness, making it more suitable for use in direct sunlight for prolonged periods. The iPhone 16 Pro and...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

iPhone 17 Pro: 5 Reasons Not to Upgrade This Year

Monday September 1, 2025 4:35 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series this month, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming to...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Prices Estimated Ahead of Apple Event Next Week

Tuesday September 2, 2025 1:50 pm PDT by
Just one week before Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series, an analyst has shared new price estimates for the devices. Here are J.P. Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee's price estimates for the iPhone 17 series in the United States, according to 9to5Mac: Model Starting Price Model Starting Price Change iPhone 16 $799 iPhone 17 ...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
iOS 18 on iPhone Arrow Down

Apple Preparing iOS 18.7 for iPhones as iOS 26 Release Date Nears

Sunday August 31, 2025 4:35 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 18.7 for compatible iPhone models, according to evidence of the update in the MacRumors visitor logs. We expect iOS 18.7 to be released in September, alongside iOS 26. The update will likely include fixes for security vulnerabilities, but little else. iOS 18.7 will be one of the final updates ever released for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR,...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Centered 1

Survey: Nearly 70% of Users Plan to Upgrade to iPhone 17

Monday September 1, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
A new survey has found that nearly seven in ten iPhone owners in the United States plan to upgrade to an iPhone 17 model, signaling strong demand ahead of Apple's expected unveiling of the devices at its September 9 keynote. Smartphone price comparison platform SellCell surveyed over 2,000 U.S.-based iPhone users in August to assess upgrade interest and brand loyalty before Apple's event....

Top Rated Comments

spiderman0616 Avatar
125 months ago
No matter what Apple says tomorrow, good or bad, Wall Street and the tech media are out for blood. It will be spun as negative as possible. If iPhones grow again, it will not be by enough units. If they don't grow, it will be doom and gloom for the company in general. They are in a can't win situation when it comes to earnings announcements.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
naeS1Sean Avatar
125 months ago
Sometimes I wish iPhone sales would slow down. Maybe it would bring Apple back to earth and maybe they would give us better products.

Imagine what phones and technology would be like if money and greed weren't in the picture. I'm dreaming, I know. Just a thought.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
C64 Avatar
125 months ago
Apple's guidance is between $75.5 billion and $77.5 billion in quarterly revenue, while the consensus among professional analysts is around $76.5 billion.
Only professionals could come to that consensus.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
musika Avatar
125 months ago
When will we stop obsessing over impossibly endless and unsustainable growth and start to appreciate good, stable, comfortable, and long-lasting business?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rdlink Avatar
125 months ago
No matter what happens I can only guarantee one thing: I will have less equity tomorrow at the close of trading than I did at open.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rdlink Avatar
125 months ago
...Imagine what phones and technology would be like if money and greed weren't in the picture. I'm dreaming, I know. Just a thought.
I don't have to imagine. If "money and greed" weren't in the picture the state of the art "smartphone" would look like this:

MacRumors content image
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)