Apple earnings: iPhone 7 could break streak of shrinking sales

Apple Inc. and its iconic smartphone may return to growth when the tech giant reports holiday-quarter earnings after the market closes Tuesday, which would reverse the first declines since the iPhone was born. Apple's fiscal year starts with the holiday-shopping season, typically the largest quarter of the year for the company. Credit Suisse analyst Kulbinder Garcha said his recent checks with Apple suppliers indicate that overall iPhone shipments "remain in line to ahead of expectations." Analysts remain cautious on fiscal 2017 as a whole, however, with growth expected to be relatively flat through the next few quarters. Longer upgrade cycles, increased competition and slow growth in emerging markets continue to be problems for Apple, weighing on its ability to meaningfully expand. Read also: An original 2007 iPhone will cost you between $1.25 and $30,000 Wall Street has already started to shift its attention to the next iPhone, expected in September.