Continued strong iPhone 6 sales expected to buoy Apple quarterly results tomorrow

It’s that time of year again. Apple analysts are taking a hard look at the supply chain for iPhones, at sales levels, at general tech market trends, and even media reports — all to get an idea of what Apple will announce tomorrow when it reveals its fiscal third quarter financial results.

By all accounts the results will be good.

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This is driven by the view that iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are still selling very well — especially in markets like China, the U.S., and the U.K.

As Apple third quarters go, this one promises to be an especially strong one, because the iPhone 6 wasn’t supposed to be selling so strongly this late into its life cycle.

Analyst Gene Munster at Piper Jaffray expressed surprise at that very thing in a recent note. Some in mobile circles have even raised the possibility that Apple would postpone the arrival of its next phones — presumably the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus — so as not to curtail strong sales of the current models.

Munster believes Apple has sold between 49 and 50 million iPhones in the quarter, which will drive about $50 billion for revenues in the quarter. Yes, Apple knows how to profit from making phones — big time. A recent report said that out of all the profit anyone around the world earns from making smartphones, Apple accounts for 92 percent.

Deutsche Bank analyst Sherri Scribner said in a research note that Apple will report sales of around 50 million iPhone 6 devices in the April through June quarter. That would represent an 18 percent decline from the previous quarter, but a 40 percent increase from the year-earlier quarter.

After the launch of the iPhone 6, Apple sold 74.5 million iPhones in the final quarter of 2014, a new record. In the following quarter, Apple sold 61 million iPhones, which is seasonally slower.