There are no signs of Apple slowing down in the third quarter of 2026, as year-over-year growth is likely to be even stronger, despite a tough comparison for the iPad.
Apple is coming off a record March quarter that generated $111.2 billion in revenue. It appears that momentum will not slow down in the third quarter.
Apple CFO Kevan Parekh shared forward-looking statements for the third quarter of 2026 that estimate growth ranging from 14% to 17% year-over-year. This would mean growth from $94 billion in 2025 to $110 billion for 2026.
In addition to this growth, Apple expects a gross margin of between 47.5% and 48.5%. Operational expenses are between $18.8 billion and $19.1 billion.
Clearly, Apple is going to ride the success of its current iPhone and Mac lineup through the fall. The iPhone 17e, MacBook Neo and other recent products are selling very well, with supply being the only constraint to demand.
Growth in China has also been a major plus for Apple due to continued demand for the iPhone 17 line. Apple CEO Tim Cook attributed this to having devices that resonate with people, and not necessarily better government relations.
Apple’s annual growth continues
It is possible that the third quarter will not have any new hardware, and this includes the long-awaited iPad with A19. Parekh specifically pointed out that the iPad would have a tough third-quarter comparison due to the iPad’s release a year ago with the A16.
This is the closest Apple has come to saying there won’t be any new iPads without explicit confirmation.
Services are expected to see similar year-over-year growth. This could be facilitated in some way by the App Store’s new contract system for annual subscriptions.
Third-quarter results will be revealed at the end of July, which will likely be Cook’s final earnings conference call. He finishes with a nice number of 90 total earnings calls during his career at Apple.