Apple’s shares have turned positive for the year, gaining momentum following the launch of its latest iPhone series and renewed market confidence in the technology leader’s prospects.
After rising 4% on Monday, Apple’s stock is now up slightly more than 2% year-to-date, becoming the last major tech company to show gains in 2025. The upward trend follows the unveiling last Friday of new devices, including the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods models.
The mid-priced iPhone Air, set at $999, marks the first redesign Apple has made to its iPhone lineup in several years. Early signs point to strong consumer demand, reflected in longer shipping wait times compared to last year.
“Our tracking of iPhone ship dates on Apple’s own website, and various carrier websites, indicates that as of Sep 22nd, ship time (in days) for the iPhone 17 (18 days) are more extended vs last year’s iPhone 16 (10 days),” Bank of America Securities’ analysts noted.
Strong pre-order activity has also been reported in China, a key market for Apple that remains vital to its global sales strategy despite economic uncertainties.
Despite these gains, Apple has lagged behind some of its technology rivals in 2025, partly due to more conservative investment in artificial intelligence hardware and data centres. The company has also delayed a major update to its Siri assistant until 2026, prompting concerns that it may be losing ground to companies like Google and Microsoft when it comes to integrating AI into user-facing products.
Nevertheless, the newest Apple devices introduce several AI-powered features. The AirPods Pro 3, for instance, can automatically translate spoken language, improving real-time communication across different languages. Meanwhile, the latest Apple Watch models incorporate machine learning to detect early risks of high blood pressure, reinforcing Apple’s commitment to health-focused innovation.
Industry analysts point out that Apple’s continued emphasis on privacy and a seamless hardware-software experience differentiates it in a competitive market. Its cautious yet focused approach to AI, together with unwavering brand loyalty, could help propel the company’s steady recovery in investor confidence.