Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) has long attracted students and tech-minded users with its ergonomic approach to computing and communications. Its popularity soared in the 1990s, and even the Tom Hanks movie Forrest Gump referenced its high-growth stock.

Back in 2018, Apple made financial history by becoming the first U.S. company to reach a $1 trillion market cap. Millions of iPhones, MacBooks, iPods, and other Apple products have developed fiercely loyal followings, especially in creative fields like music and video production, graphic design, and many other industries.

As one of the Magnificent 7 tech stocks, Apple has been a solid industry leader since its late founder, Steve Jobs, passed the helm to then-COO Tim Cook in 2011. The company has since been a ubiquitous success story, with even the notoriously Luddite-prone Warren Buffett buying its stock for a time.

However, investors are much more concerned with future stock performance over the next one, five, to 10 years. While most Wall Street analysts calculate 12-month forward projections, it is clear that nobody has a consistent crystal ball, and plenty of unforeseen circumstances can render even near-term projections irrelevant. 24/7 Wall St. aims to present some farther-looking insights based on Apple’s own numbers, along with business and market development information that may be of help to our readers’ own research.

Apple’s Past Performance

Despite new products, developments in artificial intelligence, and an enviably strong balance sheet, Apple has been dealing with some challenges of late. Some of the top ones from the long list include:

• The U.S. Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, alleging it blocks “super” apps, suppresses mobile cloud streaming services, blocks cross-platform messaging apps, limits third-party digital wallets, and limits how well third-party smartwatches work on its platforms. In late June, Apple lost a bid to dismiss that lawsuit.
• Though iPhone 17 demand is strong. Huawei and other competitors continue to gain a greater share of the Chinese smartphone market.
• The prospect of tariffs on hardware manufactured in China could squeeze profit margins.
• Apple has resisted demands from the Indian government preinstall a state-backed security app on iPhones, and Russia shuttered FaceTime within the country.
• Italy’s antitrust agency fined Apple $116 million for allegedly abusing its dominant position with privacy features.
• Apple is perceived as being significantly behind competitors like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI in the generative AI space.

Other developments over the past few years:

• 2020 saw Apple end its chip relationship with Intel to go into in-house design with its M1 chip and subsequent M2 chip, made in collaboration with Samsung.
• Apple Wallet launched an installment plan payment platform in 2023 in the wake of high inflation as a means to help customers finance Apple product purchases.
• In February 2024, a federal judge ruled in Apple’s favor and dismissed an antitrust lawsuit that claimed that it had illegally monopolized the United States market on heart rate apps for the Apple Watch.
• Apple’s lawsuit with Epic Games over antitrust practices was ruled in its favor, but it revealed Apple’s predatory marketing practices to the general public.
• Apple has committed to investing over $600 billion in the United States over the next four years. An AI hardware and a server plant in Houston is expected to open this year.
• Apple Intelligence and a Liquid Glass design were unveiled at the WWDC 2025 conference last June. A new chief operating officer assumed the reins in July, and Apple has expanded its global retail footprint.
• Apple unveiled its M5 chip and included it in iPads, MacBooks, and other products, and a new Digital ID feature in Apple Wallet.

Key Drivers for the Stock

Free software update Apple Intelligence should be a huge driver of sales for the next half-decade. The processing power requirements for AI use will drive users to upgrade to the latest M5 chip or other equipped iPhones, MacBooks, and other devices.

Apple’s wearables segment, with significant emphasis on Vision Pro, Apple Watch, and AirPods, may receive a huge marketing push in the coming years. All these products are slated for substantial updates and act as key growth drivers for the company.

Apple services, already past the 1 billion subscription milestone, should continue to grow, thanks to new content like the popular Severance and Pluribus, as well as flexible virtual credit card installment payments for Apple Wallet, and iCloud storage for AI projects.

Stock Price Prediction for 2025

The consensus recommendation of 49 Wall Street analysts who follow the stock is to buy shares, with four of them having Strong Buy ratings. The mean 12-month price target on Apple stock has risen to $287.71, which would be a gain of 9.7% from the current price. 24/7 Wall St.’s projected price for 2026 is $346.84, or more than a 32% gain.

The initial Apple Intelligence campaign that started in 2024 and continued through 2025 may have run its course. iPhone sales, which still comprise over half of Apple’s total revenues, as of 2025, as well as iPad MacBook sales, will continue but likely slow down until the next campaign cycle. Toward the end of 2026, we think the company will finally resolve its Masimo Apple Watch app lawsuit, as well as its U.S. government labor and DOJ issues, which should help in 2027.

Apple’s Outlook for the Next Few Years

Apple’s historical P/E ratio has increased in the past couple of years. Here, we have calculated the price numbers with a conservative 25 P/E in 2025 and increasing in the following years.

In 2027, Apple TV+ original content should build on the popularity of Severance and Ted Lasso with both new TV series and feature films. With top-notch talent, like Javier Bardem, Annette Bening, Harrison Ford, John Malkovich, Kurt Russell, and many others starring in Apple TV+ original programming, subscription growth should offer a boost to revenues. Additional products, like AirPods and HomePods, should also see sales growth commensurate with other media-related subscription upswings. We project a 2027 price of $424.44.

2028 is a year of “what-ifs.” On the bullish side, we think that Apple will continue on the trajectory established in 2027 with new programming for Apple TV+ and ancillary media device sales.

However, some geopolitical analysts in the U.S. Department of Defense believe that China may be prepared to annex Taiwan by the end of 2027. Apple is dependent on Taiwan Semiconductor for its M4 and other chips.

With Huawei successfully dominating the Chinese smartphone market, an invasion of Taiwan could cripple MacBook Air and Pro production, as well as other devices that Apple does not already assemble in Vietnam or other nations. The resulting events would severely affect Apple’s operations, forcing it to concentrate on the U.S. domestic and European markets. We project a 2028 price of $505.40, based on China staying its hand. Otherwise, the target price would be half of that if an invasion were to commence.

Apple’s wearables—which include its Vision Pro VR devices, Apple Watch, and others—should see a jump in popularity in 2029. The latest iterations of these devices, equipped with Apple Intelligence, will likely get collaborative marketing deals with celebrities and fashion designers for mass marketing campaigns. Our projected 2029 price is $597.11.

The Share Price in 2030

By 2030, Apple Intelligence could be fully integrated with all Apple devices and services in its ecosystem, as well as with IoT devices outside the Apple Universe. It would likely feature new updates and added premium features available by subscription. The latest Apple Intelligence iteration will likely demand even greater computing power and speed, conveniently available only with the latest iPhone, iPad, and Mac equipped with an even more powerful processor. Intense marketing to demonstrate the lifestyle convenience available for those who are “all-in” with the Apple Digital Universe will drive sales across the board.

24/7 Wall St. predicts a stock price of $717.90 in 2030, which represents more than 173% upside potential. Here is another look at how it gets there:

Why Apple Might Attract More of an AI Multiple in 2026