Apple, the giant behind the iPhone, has faced challenges over the past two years, recording only 40% growth. However, according to Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities cited by The Motley Fool, the Cupertino company has three key factors that could boost its value in 2026. One of the main concerns from shareholders has been Apple's slow progress in artificial intelligence, attributed to its strict privacy policy. This year, the company could make a significant leap by announcing the integration of Gemini, Alphabet's AI, as the foundation for its own language models across its ecosystem. Apple stated, "Google's technology provides the strongest foundation for Apple's Foundational Models, and we are excited about the new experiences we will bring to our users." The agreement also includes Siri, which will benefit from Apple Intelligence, allowing for a more personalized version of the voice assistant to be released this year. In terms of sales, Apple experienced a 3% decline in iPhone sales in 2023, followed by a 2% rebound in 2024 and an estimated 6% growth for 2025. Ives expects demand for the iPhone 18 to remain strong, especially in China, despite tariffs and the increase in average price, similar to the iPhone 17, which rose by $100. Despite rumors about the possible departure of Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, due to his proximity to retirement, Ives claims that Cook will remain in charge until the end of 2027. Additionally, the recent addition of AI expert Amar Subramanya reinforces Cook's commitment to developing artificial intelligence within the company. According to Tipranks, 32 analysts have evaluated Apple: 19 recommend buying, 11 holding, and 2 selling. The average price target is $299.69, with a high of $350 and a low of $230, implying a potential upside of 14.8% from Thursday's close. Apple closed Thursday at $258.32. The 70-period moving average is above the last eight candles, the RSI has dropped to 29 points, and the MACD remains below zero. Medium-term support is at $245.12, while the Ei indicators show mixed signals. Source: estrategiasdeinversion.com