Apple to Rewrite Record High Performance This Year with 'iPhone 12'

Citing Wedbush Securities Report
Surpasses 231 Million Units in 2015

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] Can Apple beat Apple? There is a prediction that Apple will set a record for iPhone sales exceeding that of 2015 this year, driven by a replacement supercycle among existing iPhone users.

IT specialized media such as AppleInsider and MacRumors reported on the 7th (local time), citing a Wedbush Securities report, that Apple is expected to sell 240 million to 250 million iPhones in the 2021 fiscal year. This sales volume surpasses the 231 million units sold in 2015.

Dan Ives, senior analyst, stated in a shareholder letter, "The Q1 2021 earnings will be a major catalyst for tech stocks such as Apple, Microsoft, and Nuance," adding, "Although there is rotation fear, I believe tech stock prices will rise by about 25-30%."

He also noted, "Valuation debates will continue, but as the Fourth Industrial Revolution begins to impact the tech environment, unprecedented fundamental growth is emerging in next-generation technologies."

Among tech stocks, he selected Apple as his top pick. The excellent performance of the iPhone 12 supports his theory. Currently, Wall Street's consensus estimate for iPhone sales this year is 220 million units. Ives predicted that Apple will exceed this, saying, "An 'eye-popping' performance of up to 250 million units is also possible."

Previously, Ives estimated that out of 950 million iPhone users, about 350 million have upgrade demand. He also added that growth in China is encouraging, considering factors such as the Lunar New Year.