Apple expected to ship more than 70 million iPhones in Q4

Apple is expected to have a strong final calendar Q4 in 2014—Apple’s fiscal Q1—but a new report from KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo offers a few specifics on how many iPhones the company may actually sell. The respected Apple analyst claims Cupertino could ship a record 71.5 million smartphones, shattering the previous record of 51 million iPhones it set during last year’s holiday season.

On the back of strong seasonal demand, Apple is forecast to ship over 71.5 million iPhones in quarter four, but will see a drop in demand to below 50 million units during the first quarter of 2015, one analyst says. According to a fresh report from prominent KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo obtained by AppleInsider, quarter-over-quarter Apple iPhone shipments will swell 82 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014. Leading the charge is iPhone 6, predicted to account for just shy of 60 percent of all sales for the quarter, or 41.65 million units. Coming in a distant second is the iPhone 6 Plus, which has been the more talked about next-generation variation due in large part to its scarcity at retail outlets. Kuo says the 6 Plus supply shortage is not only an indicator of high demand, but also confirmation that suppliers are having production issues. He believes final fourth quarter sales are largely dependent on supply chain success with 6 Plus yields.