Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Apple reports record revenue despite global chip shortage

Apple on Thursday reported record revenue for its most recent quarter, thanks largely to strong sales of the new iPhone 13.

Despite ongoing challenges caused by the global chip shortage, the tech giant reported earnings of $123.9 billion for the three-month period ending December 25, 2021 — a significant increase over the $111.4 billion it recorded for the same quarter a year earlier.

Profit came in at $34.6 billion, marking a $6 billion increase on a year earlier and the first time for its earnings to top $30 billion.

The iPhone 13, together with other available models such as the SE, pulled in $71.6 billion for the company — up from $65.6 billion for the same period a year earlier.

Mac computers, with their new Apple-made M1 chips, also performed well, generating $10.9 billion in revenue — up from $8.7 billion. Its wearables, home, and accessories unit also saw a revenue increase, from $12.9 billion to $14.7 billion.

The only product that saw a yearly fall was the iPad, which generated $7.3 billion — down from $8.4 billion.

“We are gratified to see the response from customers around the world at a time when staying connected has never been more important,” Apple chief Tim Cook said in a comment acknowledging the ongoing pandemic.

In an earnings call shortly after the results were posted, Cook said he expects supply constraints to ease during the current quarter, adding that Apple’s supply chain “actually does very good considering the shortages.”

In the same call, Apple chief financial officer Luca Maestri said the latest results were “an all time record quarter for both products and services,” adding that the bumper quarter had been achieved “despite significant supply constraints” linked to the global chip shortage.

Maestri said that while Apple expects to achieve “solid” year-over-year revenue growth and set a March quarter revenue record, he expects income to be lower than the latest quarter due to slightly different release dates for recent iPhones and fluctuating exchange rates.

Apple’s record-breaking revenue was partly propelled by healthy sales in China, where market analyst firm Counterpoint Research said the iPhone had recently become the number one handset for the first time in six years, taking a 23% share of the market, with yearly growth hitting 32%.

For more on the iPhone 13 at the center of Apple’s record-breaking quarter, check out Digital Trends’ handy guide.

Editors' Recommendations

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
The DOJ has sued Apple over the iPhone. Here’s what it means for you
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro seen from the back.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro (left) and iPhone 15 Pro Max Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

If you're reading this article, chances are you have an iPhone. It's also quite likely that your friends and family members also use an iPhone. The iPhone is the smartphone of choice for millions of people in the U.S., and now, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is suing Apple over the iPhone monopoly it has established over the years.

Read more
UPS worker accused of nabbing $1.3M worth of iPhones and other Apple gear
A MacBook and iPhone in dark red light.

The desirability and high value of iPhones and other Apple devices make the gear a popular target for criminals looking to make a fast buck.

In the latest such case, a now former UPS employee is accused of stealing more than $1.3 million worth of Apple iPhones and laptops from the shipping company’s warehouse in Winnipeg, Canada, before selling them in an operation that continued for seven months, the Winnipeg Free Press reported this week.

Read more
Hands-on with the Belkin iPhone Mount with MagSafe for Apple TV 4K
The Belkin iPhone Mount with MagSafe for Apple TV 4K.

The Belkin iPhone Mount with MagSafe for Apple TV 4K perched atop an extremely thin OLED television. Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

The Belkin iPhone Mount with MagSafe for Apple TV 4K is one mouthful of an official name. What it does is much more simple. It is a mount for your iPhone to be used with an Apple TV 4K. And it has MagSafe to keep the phone in place. That's it.

Read more