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Apple will reveal its fiscal fourth-quarter results on October 30, and investors, analysts and tech watchers are already parsing the company’s summer moves for clues. From leadership changes to product launches and service price adjustments, several events could shape the numbers Tim Cook and CFO Kevan Parekh present on the call.
When and who will speak on the call?
The earnings call is scheduled for October 30 at 2:00 pm PT / 5:00 pm ET. CEO Tim Cook and CFO Kevan Parekh will walk through Apple’s results and provide commentary on the company’s outlook. As usual, a short Q&A session will follow, giving analysts a chance to press on revenue drivers, supply-chain risks and service growth.
Quarter at a glance: July–September 2025
Here’s a month-by-month rundown of the key developments that likely influenced Apple’s Q4 performance — and what to watch for in the numbers.
July: Tariffs, an executive shuffle, and AppleCare One
- Trade tensions remained a headline risk. Apple estimated that tariffs could add roughly $1.1 billion in costs during Q4, though management cautioned that such estimates aren’t firm guidance given the fluid U.S.-China relationship.
- On July 8 Apple announced a leadership change: Sabih Khan, a longtime company executive, replaced Jeff Williams as Chief Operating Officer. The move signals continuity in operations but also places Khan in the spotlight during a sensitive supply-chain period.
- Services continued to expand with the July 24 launch of AppleCare One in the U.S.: a flat-rate plan at $19.99 per month covering three devices, with extra devices available for $5.99 each. That product could nudge recurring revenue higher over time.
August: PR, manufacturing pledges and service pricing
- CEO Tim Cook made headlines with a high-profile engagement that included gifting a commemorative plaque to President Trump and pledging an additional $100 billion in U.S. manufacturing investment — a move meant to soften policy pressure and underscore Apple’s domestic commitments.
- Apple secured a narrow tariff carve-out for some semiconductor imports, avoiding a potential 100% tariff that would have hit production costs hard.
- Retail expansion continued with a new Apple Store in Shenzhen and a larger location in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood.
- Apple opened its first Apple Manufacturing Academy on August 19, modeled after developer academies and aimed at upskilling local manufacturing talent.
- On August 21 Apple raised the price of Apple TV+ from $9.99 to $12.99 per month — a 30% hike that could lift services revenue but risks some subscriber churn or pushback in competitive streaming markets.
September: New hardware and mixed reception
September traditionally marks product season for Apple. This year’s “Awe Dropping” event on September 9 introduced the iPhone 17 lineup, Apple Watch updates and refreshed AirPods.
- The iPhone 17 launched at the same $799 entry price as its predecessor, quieting concerns about immediate price inflation for the baseline model.
- The iPhone 17 Pro received notable internal upgrades — including a vapor cooling chamber and a redesigned camera plateau — while Apple switched the Pro frame from titanium to anodized aluminum for improved thermal performance.
- Apple also unveiled the iPhone Air, billed as the company’s thinnest iPhone and considered by some reviewers to preview technologies destined for future foldable designs. Apple deflected questions about an iPhone Fold during the event.
- Two new watches arrived: Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3, with features like hypertension monitoring and longer battery life.
- AirPods Pro 3 now include heart-rate tracking, borrowing cues from Beats hardware and emphasizing health features across accessory lines.
- However, the product rollout wasn’t flawless: when the lineup hit stores on September 19, some customers reported that iPhone 17 Pro demo units were prone to scratching. The anodized aluminum improves cooling but may be less scratch-resistant than the previous titanium finish.
- Despite durability concerns for a subset of users, reviews leaned positive — many calling the iPhone 17 family one of Apple’s stronger updates in recent years.
What investors will be watching on the call
Beyond the top-line revenue and margin figures, expect questions around a few recurring themes:
- Services momentum: How much did AppleCare One and the Apple TV+ price increase contribute to services revenue growth?
- iPhone mix and margins: Did the new iPhone lineup — including the lower-cost iPhone Air and the aluminum-framed Pro models — change the revenue mix or gross margins?
- Tariff and supply-chain impact: How did tariff exposure affect costs, and what are management’s updated assumptions for future quarters?
- Manufacturing and capital deployment: Will the additional U.S. investment announced in August show up in guidance or near-term capital spending?
Apple’s Oct. 30 call will provide fresh color on these questions. Investors should listen closely to the guidance language and the tone from Cook and Parekh — often, the subtleties in commentary reveal more about what’s ahead than the headline numbers themselves.
Source: appleinsider
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