Apple Reports Over 2.35 Billion Active Devices | Here’s What That Means

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During its Q1 2025 earnings report and call yesterday, Apple reported that it set a new record for its install base with “over 2.35 billion active devices.” That’s a staggeringly impressive number, but putting some context around it is also helpful.
Firstly, the key word here is devices. Apple is not reporting that there are over 2.35 billion active Apple users. That would be impressive, as it represents nearly a third of the world’s population, but it’s also a bit ludicrous to imagine that many people own Apple devices, especially when you factor in the population in less developed countries, plus young children and the elderly.
The second catch is that Apple doesn’t say what it considers a “device” in this context. While iPhones, iPads, and Macs definitely count — and it’s safe to say the Vision Pro is included, although that doesn’t move the needle much — it’s less clear if this includes second-tier products like the Apple Watch, Apple TV, and HomePods. It’s fair to say that accessories like AirPods aren’t included.
While Apple doesn’t disclose the number of active iPhones out there, analysts and research firms have estimated the number as somewhere over one billion. Apple sold its one-billionth iPhone in 2016, and in 2018, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that it had sold over 2 billion “iOS” devices. However, that would have included iPads back then, as Apple didn’t rename its iPad operating system to iPadOS until the following year. Apple hasn’t officially declared any sales figures since then, but analysts predicted it sold two billion iPhones by the end of 2021.

Of course, not all of those are still active. Some have been consigned to the junk heap, and some have been stolen and scrapped for parts. However, there’s also a strong second-hand market for iPhones, so it’s not a stretch to imagine that half the iPhones ever sold are still active in some way. One billion is a big number.
Research suggests that Apple users own an average of 2-3 Apple devices. Some folks may have only an iPhone and otherwise be a Windows user, while others may be all-in with an iPhone, Mac, iPad, and even an Apple Watch. It’s likely more sit in the middle, with two or three Apple devices — most commonly an iPhone, a Mac, and possibly an Apple Watch. These are certainly Apple’s most popular products.
While there are certainly folks steeped more heavily in the Apple ecosystem with an Apple TV and a HomePod or two, these products aren’t as popular as you may think. Apple doesn’t disclose specific sales figures — even the dollar amounts are lumped into its Wearables, Home, and Accessories category alongside the Apple Watch and AirPods — but analysts estimate that Apple sold fewer than 60 million HomePods from 2018–2023. That would only account for 0.06 of Apple’s 2.35 billion Apple devices.
Sales of the Apple TV set-top box are likely even lower than this, considering that customers are much more likely to buy multiple HomePods. We love Apple’s set-top box, and it’s even a great solution for Android users, but it’s fair to say it competes in a crowded market at a premium price. Statista estimates there were a little over 32 million active Apple TVs in the US in 2023, and Pixalate ranked Apple fourth in connected TV market share at only 8%.
In other words, even if Apple’s 2.35 billion active devices include the Apple TV and HomePod, those aren’t contributing nearly as significantly as Apple fans may expect. I have two dozen active Apple devices in my household by that standard, but I’m clearly not a typical Apple customer. Many more iPhone users might have a Mac and an Apple Watch but otherwise equip their homes with Amazon Echo speakers and Fire TV or Roku streaming devices — or they simply use the services built into their smart TVs, where even Apple Music and Apple TV are now available.
So, what’s the verdict? Apple likely has over a billion active customers, but the industry estimated average of 2–3 devices per user seems like it’s pretty accurate.