Wedbush supports Apple: iPhone 16 hot sale AI upgrade trend will drive strong rebound in the Chinese market

According to the latest report from Wedbush Securities, the iPhone 16 of Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) saw a 20% year-on-year increase in sales in the first three weeks in China, signaling a revival in Apple's growth momentum. Analyst Dan Ives emphasized in a client report that especially the high-end Pro and Pro Max models saw a 44% year-on-year growth compared to last year's iPhone 15, a trend that aligns with his recent industry analysis and supply chain checks during his trip to Asia. Ives predicts that with the launch of the iPhone 16 leading the artificial intelligence super cycle, Apple's iPhone sales in the Chinese market will experience a strong rebound in the next year. Ives maintains an "outperform" rating on Apple stock and sets a target price of $300.

Furthermore, Ives mentioned that Apple may collaborate with Baidu (BIDU.US) in China in the field of artificial intelligence, similar to its partnership with OpenAI in the United States, which could further drive the upgrade of iPhones in the Asian market. He believes that Apple's introduction of artificial intelligence features, coupled with a large-scale upgrade cycle, is ushering in a new era of iPhone growth, especially in China, a key market where the market has been a drag on Apple's revenue growth over the past year.

Ives expects that by 2025, there will be 100 million iPhones in the Chinese market facing upgrade opportunities. For the entire fiscal year 2025, Ives projects that driven by the artificial intelligence-driven upgrade cycle, Apple's iPhone sales are expected to exceed 240 million units.

As of the time of writing, Apple's stock price has risen by 1.8% in pre-market trading