Apple's iPhone sales might not rebound until late 2020, analysts say

In an analyst note seen by Business Insider, UBS noted that Apple “hit a wall” last quarter trying to sell iPhones to consumers and, despite efforts to boost sales through trade-in promotions, the issues have likely been “carried over into the current quarter.” In fact, UBS warns that the issues could affect Apple’s performance throughout the rest of the year until new models are introduced in the fall.

The 2019 lineup, which may sport a smaller notch and a new rear design, should see flat sales versus the current-gen 2018 iPhone series. Sales in China may improve slightly – iPhone revenue is expected to total $141 billion during fiscal 2020, up slightly from the $136 billion forecast set for fiscal 2019 – but the damage has already been done, it’s claimed.

Looking towards the 2020 iPhone lineup and fiscal 2021, UBS does believe iPhone sales could bounce back by a significant margin as it could be the “next big phone cycle.” However, this prediction is largely based on the expectation of a 5G iPhone and potentially a foldable device from the company.