Apple iPhone 17 Sales Explode, Sending Stock to Record Highs

Apple's latest flagship isn't just selling—it's dominating. The iPhone 17's market performance is fueling a historic rally for the tech giant's shares.

The Engine of Growth

Forget incremental upgrades. Consumer and enterprise demand for the new device is creating a revenue surge that analysts didn't fully price in. The numbers tell a clear story of overwhelming market appetite.

A Financial Reality Check

While the stock's climb makes for great headlines, it also raises the perennial Wall Street question: how much future success is already baked into that soaring valuation? Today's triumph sets a high bar for tomorrow's earnings call—a classic tech sector tightrope walk.

The bottom line? Apple's product engine is humming, proving that in a shaky economy, category-defining tech still commands premium dollars. Just don't ask the finance team about sustaining this growth curve next quarter.

Key Takeaways

• Global smartphone shipments are expected to be 1.5% higher in 2025, up from the previous prediction of a 1% gain, thanks to demand for Apple's iPhone 17, according to tech information provider International Data Corporation.
• IDC said Apple will post a record number of shipments this year because of the success of the iPhone 17, led by demand in China.
• Apple shares hit a new all-time high Wednesday morning.

A new report predicts worldwide smartphone shipments for 2025 will be up 1.5% from 2024, driven by a record-setting performance by Apple (AAPL).

The Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker from tech information provider International Data Corporation raised its previous outlook of a 1% gain, primarily on the expected soaring demand for Apple’s new iPhone 17 this holiday season.

Nabila Popal, senior research director with the study, said that it’s anticipated that Apple will ship more than 247 million iPhones in 2025, a 6.1% jump and an all-time high, “thanks to the phenomenal success of its latest iPhone 17 series.” She pointed to “massive demand” in China that has “significantly accelerated Apple’s performance."

Why This Is Significant

Apple has been one of the few consistent bright spots in the smartphone market, especially in China. IDC’s forecasts are a benchmark for device makers and investors to assess industry momentum, and revisions can shift expectations for companies whose performance is tied to smartphone sales.

Apple shares hit a fresh record high Wednesday morning, trading at nearly $289, before falling slightly this afternoon. The stock has gained about 14% since the start of 2025, slightly lagging the performance of the benchmark S&P 500 index.

Before the company launched the iPhone 17 in September, sentiment around the stock had deteriorated amid concerns that Apple was trailing its competitors in the race to develop artificial intelligence. At the time, Apple stock was in negative territory for the year—the only member of the Magnificent Seven that was down—but the strong sales of the new iPhone have brought investors back on board.

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While IDC's guidance for overall smartphone shipments in 2025 is better than the forecast earlier this year, the study noted that the near-term strength won't carry over to next year. It lowered its growth estimate for 2026 to 0.9% from 1.2% because of a shortage of memory chips and product cycle adjustments.