Apple and its iconic smartphone may return to growth and progress once the tech giant officially reports its holiday-quarter earnings after the market closes on Tuesday, which would reverse the first declines since the inception of the iPhone.

Will Apple Dip Once More?

According to MarketWatch, iPhone unit sales have been on the decline for three consecutive quarters, leading to the first ever fiscal-year revenue drop for Apple in more than a decade, and analysts are even expecting that Apple's flagship product, the iPhone 7, to also contribute towards the decline. Apple's fiscal year starts with the holiday-shopping season, which is also the largest quarter of the year for the company.

But with all that said, analyst Kulbinder Garcha dos claim that his recent checks with Apple suppliers have indicated that overall iPhone shipments have remained in line to ahead of expectations.

Problems Apple Are Facing

Analysts have remained cautious towards fiscal 2017 as a whole, with growth expected to be relatively flat throughout the next few quarters. Problems like longer upgrade cycles, increasing competition and slow growth in emerging markets have continued to be major hindrances for Apple, constricting its chances to meaningfully expand.

Apple's Next iPhone

With the dismal sales of the iPhone 7, reports from Fortune says that most people have already started shifting their attention towards the next iPhone, which is expected to hit in September. Arriving near the 10th anniversary of Apple's launch of the smartphone brand, the next iPhone is expected to feature significant software and hardware upgrades, which some believe could potentially revive demand.

Will Apple Bounce Back?

Reports regarding Apples current position in terms of sales say that while revenue is expected to gain, profit could take a hit for Apple. Analysts are expecting the company to report earnings per share of $3.23, down from $3.28 in the year-earlier period, which has been expected to be a huge drop yet again.