Wedbush Optimistic About Apple's AI Strategy and iPhone 17 Sales
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 08 2025
0mins
Source: SeekingAlpha
Price Target Increase: Wedbush raised Apple's stock price target from $320 to $350, citing strong iPhone 17 sales and an anticipated entry into the AI market in 2026 as key factors for the upgrade.
AI Strategy Development: Analysts believe Apple is beginning to outline a comprehensive AI strategy, with expectations for a significant partnership announcement with Google Gemini in early 2026, which could be transformative for both companies.
Leadership Changes: John Giannandrea, Apple's senior vice president for Machine Learning and AI Strategy, will step down, with AI researcher Amar Subramanya taking over, indicating a shift in Apple's approach to AI development.
Stock Potential: Analysts suggest that Apple's stock currently does not reflect any "AI premium," making it an attractive investment opportunity as the company prepares for significant advancements in AI technology.
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Analyst Views on AAPL
Wall Street analysts forecast AAPL stock price to rise
27 Analyst Rating
17 Buy
9 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 299.240
Low
239.00
Averages
306.89
High
350.00
Current: 299.240
Low
239.00
Averages
306.89
High
350.00
About AAPL
Apple Inc. designs, manufactures and markets smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables and accessories, and sells a variety of related services. Its product categories include iPhone, Mac, iPad, Wearables, Home and Accessories. Its services include advertising, AppleCare, cloud services, digital content, and payment services. The Company operates various platforms, including the App Store, that allow customers to discover and download applications and digital content, such as books, music, video, games and podcasts. It also offers digital content through subscription-based services, including Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, Apple Music, Apple News+, and Apple TV+. Its wearables include smartwatches, wireless headphones, and spatial computers. Its products include iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16, iPhone 15, iPhone 14, iPhone SE, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, Mac Pro, iPad Pro, iPad Air, AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro and others.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Upcoming Product Launches: Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 18 lineup in September, which may include a new foldable iPhone; however, price hikes could affect Macs and iPads sooner, further straining consumers' budgets.
- Escalating Cost Pressures: The surging demand for memory and storage chips from AI companies has sharply increased costs, and Cook noted that despite efforts to shield customers from these increases, the situation has become unsustainable, potentially forcing Apple to raise device prices significantly to maintain profit margins.
- Estimated iPhone Pro Price Increase: According to estimates from research firm TechInsights, the cost of the next iPhone Pro could rise by about $270, which will directly affect consumer purchasing willingness and market competitiveness.
See More
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- AI Infrastructure Expansion Impact: The aggressive capital spending by major tech firms on AI servers has dramatically increased demand for memory and storage chips, creating dual pressures of supply constraints and rising prices for consumer electronics companies like Apple, affecting their profit margins.
- Market Supply-Demand Imbalance: Cook emphasized that memory manufacturers are prioritizing high-margin AI server components, leading to a decline in production capacity for consumer electronics, resulting in higher prices for consumers during peak demand periods, further destabilizing the market.
- Stock Market Reaction: Apple shares fell about 1.1% on Wednesday but rose 0.5% in after-hours trading, reflecting cautious optimism in the market regarding the company's future pricing strategy, despite overall retail sentiment on Stocktwits showing a bearish trend.
See More
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- Initial Products Affected: Macs and iPads are expected to be the first products to see price increases, consistent with Apple's earlier decision to raise the starting price of the Mac Mini in May, indicating a proactive pricing strategy in response to cost challenges.
- Industry-Wide Trend: Microsoft's newly launched Surface Pro and Surface Laptop start at $1,499 and $1,599 respectively, reflecting a roughly 50% increase over previous models, showcasing a structural shift across the PC industry driven by AI-related memory shortages.
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See More
