The iPhone just had its strongest quarter on record

Apple delivered a solid first-quarter performance, with iPhone sales clearly leading the way. The company said its flagship device posted the best quarter in iPhone history, helped in part by a sharp rise in demand across major markets such as China and India.

“iPhone delivered its best quarter ever, fueled by extraordinary demand and setting all-time records in every geographic region,” CEO Tim Cook said during Apple’s earnings call on Thursday. According to the company’s earnings report, Apple generated $85 billion in iPhone revenue during the first quarter, up from $69 billion in the same period a year earlier.

During the Q&A portion of the call, Cook pointed to China as a major contributor to the surge. “The growth was driven by iPhone, where we achieved an all-time revenue record,” he said, adding that it marked “the best iPhone quarter ever in Greater China.” Cook attributed the jump largely to strong interest in the iPhone 17, which was unveiled in September and has proven far more popular than previous models.

Apple’s financial results show that total sales in the Greater China region rose from $18.5 billion in the year-ago quarter to $25.5 billion. Cook said Apple performed well broadly in the area, noting that “store traffic in China increased by strong double digits year over year” during the quarter.

India was another standout market. Cook said demand for iPhones — along with other Apple products — remained exceptionally strong. “We set a quarterly revenue record during the December quarter,” he said, pointing to record sales for iPhone, Mac, and iPad, as well as an all-time revenue high for services. Cook described it as “a terrific quarter” in India, noting that it is the world’s second-largest smartphone market and the fourth-largest PC market.

Beyond the iPhone, Apple’s earnings report shows growth across every geographic segment. In the Americas, revenue increased from $52.6 billion a year earlier to $58.5 billion, while sales in Europe climbed from $33.8 billion to $38.1 billion, highlighting broad-based momentum across the company’s global business.