During the recent quarterly earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook shared perspectives on the initial phases of iPhone 17 release, suggesting robust interest in both the standard iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro variants. While Cook purposely refrained from addressing specific model performance, he signaled that supply limitations imply demand has surpassed Apple’s forecasts.
The earnings call occurred after Apple’s Q4 2025 financial report, which disclosed a revenue of $102.47 billion, marking an 8% rise compared to the same quarter from the previous year. Cook pointed out that the supply of the iPhone 17 remains limited, consistent with analyst insights indicating a strong early reception and heightened production requests for the iPhone 17 series.
In contrast, the iPhone Air garnered little focus during the call and has reportedly been shifted to an “end-of-cycle” production level, indicating it might not be performing as well as expected. Cook stated that Apple does not release sales figures by individual device but recognized constraints affecting both the premium and entry-level models, further suggesting potential underperformance of the iPhone Air.
Moreover, Cook reaffirmed that Apple encountered limitations with the iPhone 16 during the quarter, signifying ongoing demand even prior to the launch of the iPhone 17. He mentioned that Apple “could have sold more” units of the iPhone 16 during that timeframe.
The quarter in question concluded on September 27, encompassing just the early days of iPhone 17 availability, which may have played a role in the supply constraints highlighted by Cook.
