Apple's quarter report for Q3 2016 was released earlier in the week, with the company just managing to meet expectations. While iPad and Mac sales remained fairly fixed compared to the previous quarter, it was iPhone sales that took a significant hit. 

During the most recent quarter, an estimated 40.4 million iPhones were sold. This is 15% less than the mark reached last year at the same time, 47.5 million. It may simply be a case of consumers capable of purchasing the iPhone having already done so, but another factor could be the impending arrival of the iPhone 7. To be fair though, as The Verge points out, Gartner released a report a few weeks ago predicting that smartphone sales in general would slow down in 2016, citing a saturated market as one of many factors. 

Whether or not the iPhone 7 can correct this recent fall remains to be seen, especially as it is rumoured that the iPhone 7 will look and feel quite similar to the current iPhone 6s. In fact, the Wall Street Journal believes that 2017's iPhone will feature far more enticing elements than the one slated for release later this year. 

If this is indeed true, the iPhone 7 (name still unofficial) might not be Apple's saviour. As such, it should prove interesting to see if this downward sales trend continues when the new iPhone is unveiled in September.