The company, which is planning to announce its third-quarter earnings on Tuesday, is expected to report that fewer iPhones were sold in the period than in Q2. Andy Hargreaves, an analyst with Pacific Crest Securities in Portland, Ore., for instance, expects Apple to post sales of 25.4 million iPhones vs. last quarter's 35.1 million, according to . Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty pegged the figure at 31 million.
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The expected slowdown is mainly driven by the belief that Apple will introduce a new version of the iPhone in October, analysts say. Though Apple has characteristically kept mum about any looming releases, rumors have emerged about a possible . A recent of consumers by ChangeWave Research shows that anticipation for Apple's new iPhone is even higher than for the 4S last October:
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A slight decrease in iPhone sales -- Apple's biggest source of income -- is not likely to depress earnings. Analysts expect Apple to report a 35% jump in net income to to $9.86 billion, according to the average of analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Sales are predicted to increase 31% to $37.3 billion. Apple's stock price has also grown 49% so far this year. Moreover, an ebb in iPhone sales nine months or so since the last major update is expected: iPhone sales, in units, fell from 20.3 million to 17 million in from fiscal Q3 to Q4 (July to September) in 2011. Sales for the device also fell from 37 million to 31.5 million from Q1 2012 to Q2 2012 after the initial rush of sales and holiday-driven gift-giving subsided.
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This story originally published on Mashable .