Apple Forecasted to Sell Record-Breaking 240+ Million iPhones in 2021

Apple is on a trajectory to sell a record-breaking 240-250 million iPhones in the 2021 fiscal year, topping a previous record of 231 million iPhones sold in the 2015 fiscal year, according to Wedbush analyst Dan Ives.

iphone 12 pro video colors
"While the Street is forecasting roughly 220 million iPhone units for FY21, we believe based on this current trajectory and in a bull case Cupertino still has potential to sell north of 240 million units (~250 million could be in the cards - an eye popping figure) which would easily eclipse the previous Apple record of 231 million units sold in FY15," said Ives, in a research note shared with MacRumors today.

Ives estimates that 350 million iPhone users worldwide are currently "in the window of an upgrade opportunity," which he believes is "translating into an unprecedented supercycle upgrade cycle" for Apple this year.

If this forecast proves to be accurate, the iPhone 12 lineup could prove to be the most popular since the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which saw strong demand following their September 2014 launch due to their larger screen sizes. Samsung already offered multiple smartphones with screen sizes at or beyond the 5-inch mark at the time.

Tag: Wedbush

Popular Stories

iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Sad Siri Feature

Apple AI Chief John Giannandrea Retiring After Siri Delays

Monday December 1, 2025 2:16 pm PST by
Apple AI chief John Giannandrea is stepping down from his position and retiring in spring 2026, Apple announced today. Giannandrea will serve as an advisor between now and 2026, with former Microsoft AI researcher Amar Subramanya set to take over as vice president of AI. Subramanya will report to Apple engineering chief Craig Federighi, and will lead Apple Foundation Models, ML research, and ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
Netflix Smaller 4

Netflix Kills Casting From Its Mobile App to Most Modern TVs

Monday December 1, 2025 4:36 am PST by
Netflix has quietly removed the ability to cast content from its mobile apps to most modern TVs and streaming devices, including newer Chromecast models and the Google TV Streamer. The change was first spotted by users on Reddit and confirmed in an updated Netflix support page (via Android Authority), which now states that the streaming service no longer supports casting from mobile devices...
Touchscreen MacBook Feature

Here Are the Four MacBooks Apple Is Expected to Launch Next Year

Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
iphone 17 cyber

iPhone 17 Demand Is Breaking Apple's Sales Records

Tuesday December 2, 2025 9:44 am PST by
Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is selling well enough that Apple is on track to ship more than 247.4 million total iPhones in 2025, according to a new report from IDC. Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple. Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to...
Cyber Week Deals 2025

Best Cyber Week Apple Deals Include Big Discounts on AirPods, Apple Watch, and More

Sunday November 30, 2025 7:33 am PST by
Cyber Week is here, and you can find popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more at all-time low prices. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Specifically,...
iOS 26

What to Expect From Apple This December: iOS 26.3 Beta, Replay 2025, and More

Monday December 1, 2025 8:40 am PST by
The calendar has turned to December, and the quieter year-end holiday season is now upon us. Nevertheless, we can still expect a few things from Apple this month. Apple previously announced that iOS 26.2 will be released to the general public in December, and we can expect corresponding updates to be released as well, including iPadOS 26.2, macOS 26.2, watchOS 26.2, tvOS 26.2, and visionOS...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...

Top Rated Comments

TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
61 months ago
Get your passport ready folks!. Get ready to pre-order this September. 5 months to ago...
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cosmosent Avatar
61 months ago
Ives is an "AAPL Cheerleader" masquerading as a so-called Pro Stock Analyst, nothing more, nothing less.

CNBC should make him wear a Cheerleader "skirt" whenever he comes on their show.

BTW, Ives has been saying it's gonna be a Supercycle for years now !
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
appleguy123 Avatar
61 months ago
That’s a lot.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
IIGS User Avatar
61 months ago
The 12/12Pro is an excellent product that combined a significant positive change in form factor with an upgrade in capabilities. No wonder it's a big seller.

Add in all the extra money some people have sitting around the house, no commuting, eating in, getting free money from the government, and it's gotta go SOMEWHERE.

I'm one of those people who got 3 checks from the government the past year, kept my job, got a half decent raise (due to longevity increases build into a CBA), and worked a nice chunk of OT that wouldn't have been there not for 'Rona.

I got the 'Rona, didn't really get sick (I got sick to my stomach when I saw the positive test the morning I woke up, but otherwise I was fine) but my time off was paid. My wife missed a few days pay due to procedural that came about due to her work status, but other than that, we faired pretty well.

I've been fully vaccinated since March. She got her second shot last Saturday. Had Pfizer arm for about 2 days (I got Moderna and had almost no side effects).

BTW, when the 5G UW works (down the beach, and in certain parts of the city) it's blazing fast. The DE and MD beaches have widespread 5G UW coverage now...
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tranceking26 Avatar
61 months ago
That's a lot of iPhones!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ArtOfWarfare Avatar
61 months ago
I’m at a loss for how these sales volumes are physically possible.

How much income does one need for the purchase of an iPhone to be reasonable? I’m feeling like people making under $30K/year probably shouldn’t be dropping $2K on a phone. But you’re in the global top 1% if you’re making $30K/year or more. The world population is 8B, so the population who can reasonably afford an iPhone is around 80M.

But those people don’t buy a new phone every year. They only buy a new phone every 2-3 years. So really this puts a maximum on the number of sales possible around 30M. Oh, and a lot of these people who could buy an iPhone could also buy an Android instead. So let’s say 20M/year.

Maybe I should look at this from the opposite direction. Let’s say we’re talking 360M phone sales costing as much as Apple’s do. Factor in that people only buy every 2-3 years and the population of people buying these phones is around 750M - let’s just say it’s 10% of the global population. You need an annual income of $15K to be in this group. This means people are spending over 14% of their pretax income on owning a smartphone. Probably 20% post tax.

What about a house? Food? Clothing? Power? Water? A car? Saving for retirement?

Should we blame Apple for why people haven’t saved enough to retire, or why they can’t afford rent? I mean, yeah, personal responsibility and all that... but IDK, maybe our schools should be better funded and people wouldn’t be stupidly buying these phones they can’t afford?

Has anyone bought a used iPhone instead? That’s what I did - I got an 8+ when it was a year old for 50% of what it would have been new...
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)