Unexpected Shift In Apple's Strategy As 'Apple Intelligence' Launch Delays Promise To Revolutionize Tech As The Stock Climbs 13% Year-to-Date

• Apple has postponed the release of its new AI features from September to October
• Financially, Apple has experienced fluctuations in the stock market, with a peak growth of 23% earlier in the year.
• As Apple prepares to release its Q3 earnings report on August 1.

Apple Inc AAPL has decided to push back the launch of its highly anticipated AI features, called Apple Intelligence, from September to October. These features were originally set to debut with iOS 18, but the delay shows the company's focus on ensuring stability and performance for its new generative AI capabilities before they are made public.

These advanced features aim to transform text and image creation and will be available on the latest devices, including the iPhone 15 Pro and Mac computers with M1 chips.

Apple Intelligence will include improved Siri functions, better notification management, and the ability to mirror iPhone screens on Mac devices.

This update is not just a technical enhancement; it's also a strategic move to boost sales of Apple devices, which have recently declined. Even with the delay, Apple is actively engaging the developer community by providing early access to these features through beta versions of iOS and iPadOS 18.1.

This allows developers to test and refine their applications, ensuring a smoother integration and functionality when the features launch.

Looking at the financial side of Apple's operations, the company has faced ups and downs in the stock market. After hitting a peak growth of 23% earlier this year, it has now settled at 13% year-to-date due to recent declines.

Apple's stock peaked at $237 but then dropped almost 8%, showing a slowdown in momentum. However, it appears to be stabilizing, with support levels possibly forming around the important $200 mark, which keeps investors cautiously optimistic.

In the past few months, the stock had surged by 44% from its lows in April, leading to a strong rally that raised expectations for a correction, which seems to be happening now.

Still, the overall upward trend suggests that the current dip may just be a temporary setback rather than a long-term decline. With the company's earnings report coming out on August 1, stakeholders are preparing for its possible effects.

This upcoming Q3 earnings announcement could either spark a rebound in the stock price or worsen the recent drop, depending on how Apple's financial health and future outlook are presented. The estimated earnings for the stock are $1.34.

After the closing bell on Friday, July 26, the stock closed at $217.96, trading up by 0.22%.

This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga's reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.