What does Apple have to do to impress analysts? A lot more than it is currently doing, it seems. Despite delivering a healthy set of results for its third quarter, investors seem to be unimpressed.
The iPhone maker reported revenue that rose almost 10 per cent to $94 billion (€81.4 billion), with strong sales of its smartphones and momentum in China.
But that wasn’t enough to convince analysts that the company is on the right track. The bump in device sales was being viewed in some quarters as a reaction to potential tariffs, with lingering worries over what Donald Trump’s trade war will do to Apple’s future prospects.
Meanwhile, the tech giant seems to be slipping further and further behind its rivals when it comes to the buzziest technology of them all: artificial intelligence.
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Just over a year after the company unveiled its plans for Apple Intelligence, the speculation that Apple has lost its edge and its innovation is still rife. The tech giant has been slow to roll out new features, adopting a cautious approach to the technology even as Google and Samsung plough ahead.
One of the biggest blows was the news that Apple was delaying the AI-powered, smarter version of Siri that it had previously promised.
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Apple has a tough line to walk. It has built its reputation on protecting the privacy of its customers, and views any developments in this area through that lens. And that means evaluating the potential impact of every decision on consumer privacy.
But on Friday morning the company’s shares dipped lower, extending a negative run for Apple that has seen the company’s shares lose almost 17 per cent in the year to date. In contrast, one-time rival Microsoft has gained 25 per cent since the start of 2025, and Google parent company Alphabet is largely flat.
Apple may have a plan up its sleeve. Chief executive Tim Cook indicated that he was open to the possibility of a deal with AI companies to help advance the technology on its platform. But that may not be enough to keep investors happy.
