All Fermi answers
Fermi #26 · Question 3

How many iPhones has Apple sold since the launch in 2007?

Explore the official answer and the simple reasoning behind this Fermi estimate.

3QUESTION 3 OF 3

Answer & explanation

The official answer, with Fermi’s reasoning step by step.

Answer & explanation

Official answer

3,200,000,000

iPhones

How to estimate it

Fermi’s official “Napkin math”

The iPhone launched in 2007, so it's been around about 19 years. Apple sells somewhere near 150 million a year, so multiply the two.

Years since 2007
~19
Sold per year
~150 million
19 × 150M
≈ 2.9 billion

Rounded assumptions may give a slightly different estimate. The official answer above is the game’s reference value.

Source calculation & reference
Apple's announced total (Q3 2025 earnings call, July 2025)
3 billion
Sold since then, about 13 months at ~250 million a year
≈ 270 million
3 billion + 270 million
≈ 3.2 billion

Reference cited by Fermi: Apple Q3 2025 earnings call, July 2025

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