Apple’s New CEO Faces a Profitability Challenge as Memory Prices Rise
Apple is entering a crucial phase under chief executive John Ternus, with investors looking for evidence that the technology company can continue growing while controlling the rising cost of the components used in its devices. His first earnings call as CEO puts the spotlight on three major issues: demand for new products, increasing memory-chip expenses and the company's plans to compete in artificial intelligence.
The challenge is significant because strong sales do not automatically translate into equally strong profits. If the cost of manufacturing smartphones, computers and other devices increases faster than revenue, Apple's profit margins could come under pressure. Investors will therefore be looking beyond sales figures to understand how the company intends to protect its financial performance.
Ternus took over from Tim Cook in September after spending more than two decades working on Apple's hardware development. His experience with the company's products could prove valuable, but the immediate test will be whether he can turn product innovation into sustainable financial growth.
Apple's Financial Outlook Under Investor Scrutiny
Before the earnings announcement, analysts expected Apple to report revenue of approximately $113.39 billion for the July–September quarter, its fiscal fourth quarter. That would represent growth of nearly 11% compared with the same period a year earlier. Net profit was forecast to reach around $29.04 billion, an increase of approximately 6%.
These figures are analyst expectations, not confirmed results. The difference between projected revenue and profit growth nevertheless highlights an important question: how much of Apple's additional sales will translate into earnings after expenses are accounted for?
The iPhone remains central to that calculation. Analysts expected iPhone revenue to reach approximately $56.54 billion, up around 15% year over year. However, that would represent slower growth than the roughly 22% recorded in the previous three-month period.
Apple's services business is another important indicator. Services include subscriptions, cloud storage and its digital marketplace. Analysts projected revenue of about $31.56 billion, representing growth of nearly 10%.
Investors will want to know whether Apple can maintain momentum across its major businesses while dealing with higher production costs. Its guidance for the holiday shopping quarter may be particularly important because that period typically provides a significant opportunity to sell premium devices.
Why Memory Chips Have Become a Major Concern
Memory components are essential to modern electronics. Smartphones and computers need memory to run applications, store information and support increasingly sophisticated features. As AI capabilities expand, demand for advanced computing equipment and semiconductor components is also growing.
Technology companies are investing heavily in AI infrastructure, including data centres and specialised computing systems. This creates additional demand for semiconductor components and can intensify competition for manufacturing capacity.
Apple's position is complicated by the size of its product business. The company needs dependable supplies of components to manufacture millions of devices, but higher supplier prices can increase the cost of producing each unit.
Apple has considerable purchasing power and established relationships with suppliers. Those advantages may help it negotiate favourable agreements, although they cannot necessarily eliminate the effects of industry-wide shortages or price increases.
The company has several potential responses. It could negotiate long-term supply arrangements, improve manufacturing efficiency, adjust the specifications of selected products or reconsider its pricing strategy. Each approach involves trade-offs, and the effectiveness of these measures will depend on market conditions.
Increasing retail prices could protect margins, but it might also discourage customers from upgrading their devices. Reducing specifications could lower costs, yet it could weaken the appeal of premium products.
The central challenge is to control expenses without undermining the quality and performance that customers expect from Apple devices.
New Products Could Support Growth
Ternus's early leadership period coincides with the introduction of new products, including Apple's first foldable smartphone, a smart-home hub and touchscreen laptops. These launches offer opportunities to attract customers and expand the company's hardware business.
The foldable iPhone Duo is particularly important because it places Apple in a smartphone category where manufacturers compete through new designs, larger displays and flexible form factors.
The device starts at $1,999 in the United States, and initial online orders reportedly sold out quickly after its October 23 launch. However, reports of cracks or lines around the inner display's central fold have raised questions about durability. Apple has offered replacements to affected customers, according to the earnings preview.
This situation illustrates the complexity of launching an entirely new product category. Strong initial demand can generate revenue and attract attention, but production capacity, quality control and customer satisfaction remain essential to long-term success.
If demand continues to exceed available supply, Apple could face a choice between expanding production and maintaining strict quality standards. Any delays in deliveries could also affect when sales are recognised and how customers perceive the new device.
The holiday quarter will provide a better opportunity to assess the commercial contribution of the new products because the September-quarter results capture only a limited period of sales for recently launched devices.
Artificial Intelligence Could Shape Apple's Future
Hardware costs are only part of the challenge facing Apple's new chief executive. The company must also demonstrate that its approach to artificial intelligence can compete with the increasingly sophisticated services offered by technology rivals.
Apple has emphasised integrating AI into its existing products and ecosystem, with privacy and user trust forming important parts of its positioning. Investors nevertheless want clearer evidence that these features will encourage upgrades, strengthen customer loyalty or generate additional revenue.
The development of an improved Siri is likely to attract particular attention. A more capable digital assistant could help users complete everyday tasks, interact with applications and access information more naturally.
However, expectations must be matched by practical results. AI features need to work reliably and offer clear advantages to consumers. If customers do not consider the improvements useful, the technology may have a limited effect on purchasing decisions.
Apple could also explore opportunities to distribute third-party AI services through its App Store. Such arrangements might create additional commercial opportunities, although the potential revenue and the terms of any future agreements remain uncertain.
The strategic question is whether Apple can use AI to make its devices more valuable without taking on the enormous infrastructure expenses associated with some competing technology companies.
What Investors Will Watch Next
Ternus's first earnings call is an early opportunity to explain how Apple intends to balance product investment, operating costs and long-term competitiveness.
Investors will be looking for information about memory-chip pricing, the availability of new devices, the holiday-quarter outlook and progress on AI features. They will also assess whether services revenue can maintain a healthy growth rate.
Apple shares had risen approximately 27% during 2026 ahead of the earnings announcement, according to the market report. That performance suggests investors have remained confident in the company, but maintaining confidence will require continued evidence of strong execution.
For consumers, the outcome could eventually influence device prices, product availability and the pace at which new features reach the market. For suppliers, Apple's purchasing decisions could affect demand planning and negotiations over component prices. Competitors will also be watching to see how the company balances hardware development with its AI ambitions.
The broader issue extends beyond one earnings report. Technology manufacturers are competing in an environment where components are increasingly important to both traditional electronics and AI systems.
Apple's next phase of growth will depend on more than selling additional devices. It will require the company to manage rising costs, deliver reliable new products and demonstrate that its AI strategy creates meaningful value for customers. For Ternus, success will mean showing that Apple can protect profitability while continuing to give consumers compelling reasons to remain within its ecosystem.