Apple's First Foldable iPhone Could Be the Stock's Biggest Catalyst in Years
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 hour ago
0mins
Source: Yahoo Finance
- iPhone Revenue Surge: In its fiscal Q2 2026, Apple reported a 22% year-over-year increase in iPhone revenue to approximately $57 billion, marking a record for the March quarter, indicating robust market demand and consumer enthusiasm for the iPhone 17.
- Upgrade User Innovation: Apple set a new record for iPhone upgraders in the March quarter, with an active device base exceeding 2.5 billion, demonstrating the company's success in attracting both new and existing users to upgrade, thereby enhancing its market competitiveness.
- Foldable Phone Prospects: Apple is expected to launch its first foldable iPhone this fall, potentially priced above $2,000, representing a significant design change since the iPhone X, which could boost unit sales and average selling prices, further driving revenue growth.
- Market Challenges and Opportunities: While the launch of the foldable iPhone faces manufacturing challenges and potential delays, maintaining the upgrade momentum seen in recent quarters could positively impact Apple's stock price, overshadowing the influence of AI features.
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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: 301.540
Low
239.00
Averages
306.89
High
350.00
Current: 301.540
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.
- Significant Revenue Growth: In its fiscal Q2 2026, Apple's iPhone revenue surged 22% year-over-year to approximately $57 billion, setting a new record for the March quarter, reflecting strong market demand for the iPhone 17.
- Record Upgrade Users: Apple achieved a record number of iPhone upgraders in the March quarter, with its active device base exceeding 2.5 billion, indicating that the new product attracted many first-time buyers, enhancing brand loyalty.
- Foldable Phone Prospects: Apple is expected to launch its first foldable iPhone this fall, potentially priced above $2,000, which could not only boost unit sales but also increase average selling prices, further driving revenue growth.
- Market Challenges and Opportunities: Despite Apple's stock trading at a premium valuation with a P/E ratio of about 35, sustaining the momentum of upgrade users, especially during the strong iPhone 18 upgrade cycle, could positively impact its stock price.
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- AI Strategy Upgrade: At WWDC, Apple announced a revamped Siri powered by Apple Intelligence, aimed at enhancing user experience and making it a more intelligent assistant, which is expected to significantly boost Apple's competitiveness in the AI market.
- Partnerships: Apple collaborates with Nvidia and Google Cloud, leveraging Nvidia's Blackwell B200 GPUs and Google's Gemini AI models to advance its AI initiatives, indicating a strategic decision in technology integration.
- Market Potential: Wedbush analyst Dan Ives is bullish on Apple's AI plans, setting a price target of $400, suggesting a 38% stock price increase, reflecting investor confidence in Apple's future growth.
- User Base Advantage: With 2.5 billion iOS users, analysts believe AI monetization could add $75 to $100 to Apple's stock price, further solidifying its leadership position in the tech industry.
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- Private Cloud Compute Expansion: Apple is expanding its privacy-focused Private Cloud Compute (PCC) to Google Cloud for the first time, marking a significant deepening of its collaboration with Google and Nvidia, which is expected to enhance the processing capabilities of Apple Intelligence features.
- Nvidia Technology Utilization: In this expansion, Apple will leverage Nvidia's AI accelerators for server-side inference, improving the performance of its Siri virtual assistant, although Apple's stock has declined due to the lack of a firm release date for Siri AI.
- Market Reaction: During WWDC, Apple's stock fell for two consecutive days, dropping 3.6% on Tuesday, indicating investor disappointment with the new features, particularly the unmet expectations surrounding Siri AI.
- Industry Dynamics: The relationship between Apple and Nvidia has shifted from rivalry to collaboration, reflecting Apple's strategic adjustment in the AI space, which could impact its future market position and technological development direction.
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- iPhone Sales Surge: In Q2 2026, Apple's iPhone revenue rose 22% year-over-year to approximately $57 billion, setting a new record for the March quarter, indicating strong demand for the iPhone 17 despite component shortages limiting revenue potential.
- Upgrade Record: Apple set a new record for iPhone upgraders in the March quarter, with an active device base exceeding 2.5 billion, suggesting not only existing users are upgrading but also first-time buyers, enhancing brand loyalty.
- Foldable iPhone Potential: Apple is expected to launch its first foldable iPhone this fall, potentially priced above $2,000, marking a significant design change since the iPhone X in 2017, which could boost unit sales and average selling prices.
- Market Challenges and Opportunities: While the success of the foldable iPhone is uncertain, production challenges and market competition may impact its launch; however, if Apple can maintain its upgrade momentum, it could positively influence its stock price.
See More
- iPhone Revenue Surge: In its fiscal Q2 2026, Apple reported a 22% year-over-year increase in iPhone revenue to approximately $57 billion, marking a record for the March quarter, indicating robust market demand and consumer enthusiasm for the iPhone 17.
- Upgrade User Innovation: Apple set a new record for iPhone upgraders in the March quarter, with an active device base exceeding 2.5 billion, demonstrating the company's success in attracting both new and existing users to upgrade, thereby enhancing its market competitiveness.
- Foldable Phone Prospects: Apple is expected to launch its first foldable iPhone this fall, potentially priced above $2,000, representing a significant design change since the iPhone X, which could boost unit sales and average selling prices, further driving revenue growth.
- Market Challenges and Opportunities: While the launch of the foldable iPhone faces manufacturing challenges and potential delays, maintaining the upgrade momentum seen in recent quarters could positively impact Apple's stock price, overshadowing the influence of AI features.
See More
- Market Volatility Impact: In early June, chip stocks plummeted, causing the Nasdaq Composite to drop about 4% on June 5, marking its worst session since the tariff turmoil of 2025, highlighting increasing investor anxiety over AI-related stocks.
- Vanguard ETF Advantage: The Vanguard Information Technology ETF boasts an expense ratio of just 0.09%, translating to approximately $9 per year on every $10,000 invested, significantly lower than most actively managed tech funds, thus providing a cost advantage for long-term investors.
- Portfolio Diversification: This ETF holds over 300 U.S. technology stocks, diversifying investments across chipmakers, software companies, and other tech sectors, which helps maintain overall investment stability even when one area underperforms.
- Concentration Risk Warning: Despite offering diversification, as of the end of March, Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft together accounted for nearly 45% of the fund, indicating that investors still face significant risks during downturns in major tech stocks.
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