Apple has shipped three billion iPhones since the product’s launch in 2007, CEO Tim Cook announced during the company’s third-quarter earnings call.

The company reported US$94 billion in revenue for the quarter ending in June, a 10% increase year-on-year.

Apple said the iPhone saw double-digit growth during this period.

The company is expected to unveil its next iPhone models in September.

🔗 Source: Engadget

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ iPhone shipment milestones show accelerating momentum despite market maturity

Apple’s progression from shipping milestones reveals surprising acceleration in a supposedly mature smartphone market.

The company took nine years to reach one billion iPhones (2007-2016), five years for the second billion (2016-2021), and just four years for the third billion (2021-2025)1.

This acceleration occurred even as the global smartphone market experienced significant challenges, including a 9% decline in shipments and the largest annual drop in history during 20172.

The pattern suggests Apple has successfully captured market share from competitors and maintained growth through premium positioning, contrasting with broader industry trends.

Apple’s revenue transformation supports this momentum, growing from $1.9 billion in 2006 to $45.6 billion in 2016, with the iPhone becoming the primary revenue driver1.

The current quarter’s $44.6 billion in iPhone revenue alone, representing nearly half of Apple’s total quarterly revenue, demonstrates how the device continues to generate substantial returns even at this scale3.

2️⃣ Supply chain diversification accelerates as tariff costs approach $2 billion

Apple’s tariff burden illustrates how trade tensions are forcing rapid geographic restructuring of global supply chains.

The company faced $800 million in tariff costs during Q3 and expects $1.1 billion in Q4, totaling nearly $2 billion over just two quarters4.

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