October 30, 2025
Cash highs, AI sighs, tax spies
Apple reports fourth quarter results
iPhones and subscriptions soar while commenters feud over taxes, AI, and who really runs Apple
TLDR: Apple hit a record $102.5B quarter with services at an all-time high after the iPhone 17 launch. Commenters cheered the money but sparred over a one-off tax quirk, Apple’s iPhone-plus-subscription tilt, missing AI sizzle, and reliance on chipmaker TSMC—raising big questions about what Apple is becoming.
Apple just dropped a record $102.5B quarter and bragged about all-time highs for iPhone and Services, plus adjusted EPS (earnings per share) up 13%. Tim Cook hyped the iPhone 17 lineup, AirPods Pro 3, and shiny M5 Macs and iPads—but the comments stole the show.
First, tax tea. User lapcat flagged a whiplash shift in the tax line—last year’s bill looked huge, this year’s tiny. Cue speculation… then a reality check: commenters pointed to Apple’s own note that 2024 had a one-time charge tied to a European court decision. Translation: “non‑GAAP” means Apple also reports numbers excluding unusual stuff, so the comparison isn’t as wild as it looks.
Then came the identity crisis. As haunter put it, the iPhone still dwarfs everything, and Services (iCloud, apps, music, TV) is now bigger than all other hardware categories combined. Is Apple basically a phone-with-subscriptions company now? WorldPeas summed up the mood: make things people love or get ignored.
And the memes? A chorus of “Where’s the AI?” rang out, while supply-chain doomers warned that Apple—and the whole industry—live at the mercy of TSMC (the chip giant). Love them or roll your eyes, the drama’s real. Right now. Replay the earnings call here.
Key Points
- •Apple reported Q4 FY2025 revenue of $102.5 billion, up 8% year over year.
- •Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.85, up 13% year over year; Services revenue hit an all-time high.
- •Apple set September-quarter records for total company revenue, iPhone revenue, and EPS.
- •Fiscal year 2025 revenue reached $416 billion, with double-digit EPS growth and a record installed base.
- •Apple declared a $0.26 per share dividend (payable Nov 13, 2025) and scheduled its earnings call for Oct 30, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. PT.