Tim Cook Says Apple's Holiday Quarter Will Be Its 'Best Ever' as iPhone 17 Demand Surges

During today's earnings call for its record-setting fourth quarter, Apple CEO Tim Cook provided new details on the company's performance and strategy, highlighting strong demand for the iPhone 17, a major AI infrastructure push, and a record-breaking quarter in India. Cook expressed strong optimism for the holiday season, stating he expects the December quarter to be the "best ever for the company and the best ever for iPhone."

Apple's leadership projected total company revenue to grow between 10 and 12 percent for the upcoming quarter. Cook confirmed that Apple is currently facing supply constraints for several models of the new iPhone 17 but clarified this was due to high demand, not production issues. "We're working very hard to fulfill all the orders that we have," he said. The strong reception has also been felt in China, where Cook noted that store traffic is up significantly year-over-year. "I couldn't be more pleased with how things are going there in the early going," he added, stating that Apple expects to return to growth in the region during the December quarter.

Apple also reported strong growth in most geographic markets, with Cook specifically calling out an all-time revenue record in India. CFO Kevan Parekh noted the company set September quarter records in many emerging markets, including Latin America, the Middle East, and South Asia. Mac revenue also saw a strong quarter with $8.7 billion in sales, up 13 percent year-over-year, driven by the strength of the MacBook Air.


The services division hit an all-time revenue record of $28.8 billion, with Cook confirming new records for advertising, the App Store, cloud services, music, payment services, and video. He also officially acknowledged Apple's new streaming deal with Formula 1, stating that Apple TV "will be the place for subscribers to follow every twist and turn of the new season." He added that the company's blockbuster "F1 The Movie" will make its streaming debut on December 12.

Cook also highlighted Apple's latest software and design direction, noting that the company launched a new unified cross-platform design built around a material called "Liquid Glass." He specifically mentioned the powerful new windowing system in iPadOS 26 as a fundamental transformation for the user experience.

On AI, Cook reiterated that Apple sees it as "one of the most profound technologies of our lifetime" and highlighted progress on its infrastructure. He noted that the new Houston facility building AI servers is already shipping ahead of its original 2026 schedule—a key part of Apple's $600 billion commitment to U.S. manufacturing. CFO Kevan Parekh confirmed that the company's 2025 capital expenditures included significant investments in its private cloud compute infrastructure — part of its hybrid AI strategy combining first-party and third-party data centers. Cook also confirmed that the "more personalized Siri," powered by Apple Intelligence, is making "good progress" and is still on track for release next year.

Cook also spotlighted several product lines for their strong customer response. The new Apple Watch Ultra 3 features the largest display ever in an Apple Watch, improved battery life, and emergency SOS via satellite. Apple Watch Series 11 introduces AI-driven hypertension notifications and Sleep Score tracking—features that Cook said will help identify and address serious health conditions for millions of users. AirPods Pro 3, meanwhile, deliver up to twice the noise cancellation of the previous generation and support live translation powered by Apple Intelligence.


Beyond consumer products, Apple is seeing rapid adoption in enterprise. Parekh cited the BMW Group's deployment of tens of thousands of iPhones, Capital One's expansion of its MacChoice program, and Purdue University's launch of a Vision Pro–based spatial computing hub for advanced manufacturing and pharmaceutical research.

Finally, Cook reflected on Apple's retail and services expansion, noting new store openings in India, the UAE and China, as well as Tokyo's redesigned Apple Ginza location—the company's first store outside the U.S. when it originally opened. He also marked the 10-year anniversary of Apple News and announced new free educational initiatives through the Apple Manufacturing Academy in Detroit.

Listen to the earnings call at the link below. Please download the iClarified app or follow iClarified on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and RSS for more Apple earnings updates.

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