Qualcomm CFO warns falling Apple revenue will dent its December quarter

The chipmaker expects Apple-related sales to drop roughly 50% from September as it leans on autos, IoT and data centers to fill the gap For Qualcomm, the December quarter usually benefits from a fresh round of iPhones. This year, its most famous customer is shrinking its order. Chief Financial Officer Akash Palkhiwala has signaled that declining Apple revenue will keep December from being the chipmaker’s strongest quarter of the year. What Qualcomm is projecting The warning dates back to Qualcomm’s July 29, 2026 earnings call. Management projected that Apple-related revenue in the December quarter would fall roughly 50% compared with the September quarter. The company cited two causes: supply constraints and lost market share. Qualcomm’s earlier goal of winning 20% share of components in the new iPhone lineup appears out of reach, which accelerates the expected decline from one of its most important partners. The dollars involved are not trivial. Qualcomm estimated that Apple accounted for approximately $7.5 billion of its roughly $44 billion in fiscal 2026 revenue. The handset business was already showing the strain. In fiscal fourth-quarter 2026 results released November 4, hands...