I'm not an expert, but apple trees from what I've read will drop their leaves in the fall in most areas. Since we don't get that cold, it doesn't always drop here, but after the freeze you guys in Phx had, I wouldn't be surprised if that is why your tree is dropping leaves now. I have an Anna apple tree I planted earlier this year, it has very few leaves right now. Mine looks pathetic compared to yours, but all of my other trees still have their leaves even my peach tree.

If you know what variety yours is, you can research it and see if it also drops leaves and goes dormant after a freeze.

Anna's will go dormant but still have some leaves left on. If it is an Anna.
Phoenix has had some very low night temps in the last couple of weeks and I agree with avid that it is going dormant. I am much colder (snow) and some of my apple trees still have some leaves. The rest of the orchard is leafless. I would not worry. If you receive no rain in the next couple of weeks then you may need to water a LITTLE. Even though it is dormant it needs a little water.
Just FYI never have a landscaper pick out your fruit trees, plant them or trim them. Bad idea. If you need help you can come on this site or go to the fruit/orchard site and people will be glad to help you and you will be glad you did.
Camp Verde

OMG!!!! It is going dormant. Quick! Tear it out before it spreads and everything else deciduous in your yard goes dormant too.

Also your landscape is horribly sloped. I don't know how anyone can stand in your yard without falling to the bottom.

check to see if it was telephone poled at planting ... .. pull back the surface... and let us know how deep the transition from trunk to roots is ....

what is the mulch ???? stone???

there is a very active fruit forum ... in case you want other advice ..

it has been single digits here in MI for the last week.. ten days... you guys crack me up.. calling it late fall .. crikey ... lol

ken

It's supposed to lose it's leaves in the winter like this.. I hear if your tree never gets enough chill hours to go dormant, it'll die after a few years of this.

Fascist, Ha!

I wouldn't call it fall, its winter, but compared to most places, our weather is more like fall.

Ok thanks. I will look up the variety and see if they go dormant. I know nothng about fruit trees so don't know if they need mulch or not. Everything is stone here in Phoenix :) and the landscape is sloped on purpose for drainage.

landscape is sloped on purpose for drainage.
I think he was kidding you about the sideways photo. :-)

His humor is sometimes a bit dry. :-)

sometimes?!!!!