“Unprecedented demand.” Tim Cook can savor this victory over Apple’s difficulties in generative artificial intelligenc. Between October and December, the iPhone posted the strongest quarter in its history. Sales of Apple’s flagship smartphone jumped 23%, reaching $85 billion. This growth — the fastest since 2021 — was driven in particular by a spectacular rebound in demand in China. It is also explained by a cyclical factor: the replacement of devices purchased during the pandemic.
Tim Cook’s triumphalism, however, deserves qualification. While iPhone performance reached a record in value, this was not the case in volume. According to estimates from research firm IDC, more units were sold in the final three months of 2020 and 2021. The gap reflects a sharp rise in the average selling price, which has crossed the $1,000 threshold as a result of the ultra-premium positioning of the lineup. In the United States, the Pro and Pro Max models, priced between $1,100 and $2,000, now account for…
