Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s iPhone Stays Strong at Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ)

Using the historical high (13%) and low (9%) yields a potential range of 29.2 million to 42.2 million. That’s quite a range, and the upper figure is simply unrealistic. The only way that Apple comes in near the low end is if Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) is a large contributor to total iPhone sales relative to its historical trends.

T MOBILE US INC (NYSE:TMUS) has just started offering the iPhone for the first time ever, and it’s already surging. Third-party estimates pegged the iPhone at 31% of smartphone sales at the No. 4 carrier, and T-Mobile subsequently confirmed the iPhone was 29% of total smartphone sales in Q2 during its Jump event. This implies that Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) might end up near the lower end of its contribution to total iPhones — which, in turn, implies higher total iPhone sales for Apple.

Apple continues to fortify its domestic fortress. Now it needs to tackle emerging markets, but investors already knew that.

Fool contributor Evan Niu, CFA, owns shares of Apple and Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ). The Motley Fool recommends Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple.

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