Apple is going to launch a ‘game changer’ iPhone

Apple (AAPL) is ramping up for an eventful spring. This is the kind of “quietly massive” setup that AAPL stock investors love.

It has several launches planned. One big story will dominate. And the scoreboard couldn’t be clearer.

For me, the story unfolds with the latest Apple earnings. CEO Tim Cook was dealing in excellence during what he described as the December quarter “Remarkable, record-breaking quarter.”

Apple reports $143.8 billion said on top of revenue and its established base 2.5 billion active devices. That’s the kind of scale that makes even “boring” refreshes significant events in ecosystems.

But the scoreboard is starting to change. In the earnings call, Cook said that Apple continues to see “the market value for memory grow significantly.”

The comments suggest that Apple is issuing a reminder: The next few quarters may be less about demand and more about protecting its margins.

I’m sure you’ve seen examples within your family who want to hang on to their old, fully functional iPhones. The most common reason, at least in my experience, is that new ones are too expensive.

The biggest name users now connected to the iPhone are Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook and Mark Zuckerberg. I’m sure their wallets won’t be lighter because of the new version of iPhone.

However, Apple is aiming to prioritize the needs of the average user this time. That’s why in the next wave, it wants to make things more affordable by focusing on margin growth to widen the funnel.

projection of iPhone 17e According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman is imminent.

It will carry four upgrades that are important in the real world. A19, MagSafe (as described by The Verge), Apple’s new C1X ModemAnd its N1 connection chip The upgrades included in what’s being launched are “quick”.

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I bet you’re thinking, “Hey, I know a guy who gave up on a cheap iPhone because it felt like a ‘yeah, but…’ device.” However, MagSafe is looking to mix things up with car mounts, wallets, charging stands, and an entire accessory ecosystem.

And Apple has reportedly kept the price $599Targeting Emerging Markets and Enterprises Buyers. These buyers, in theory, care more about reliability and total cost of ownership than status.

Spring iPad story is simple and basic. The focus is on the same shells, with faster chips.

• The Enter the iPad is expected to jump in A18According to Mac Rumors. It brings Apple Intelligence Support for Apple’s cheapest tablets for the first time.

• The iPad Air will move to M4.

If you’re the one everyone turns to when an old iPad starts to slow down, this is the kind of update that’s important.

A base model that can cleanly operate Apple’s AI features gives Apple a direct pitch to schools, families and companies that buy in bulk.

Related: History of Apple: Company Timeline and Facts

Hardware is responsible for selling units, but software sells trust.

Gurman’s reporting says Apple will release its first developer beta iOS 26.4 the week of February 23.

Siri will also be available again after a long wait. Apple Intelligence Parts is likely to pop up there.

Recent upgrades are not eye-popping. I hate it when we talk about any stock in hyperbolic terms. That’s what I love about the latest upgrades.

• Maxim Upgraded to Apple buy it from Hold on (PT $300).

• KGI Securities Upgraded to Apple Excellent performance from neutral (PT $306).

• separately, JP Morgan Its repetition overweight Evaluate and raise your goals $315.

However, a short-term push-pull trajectory is evident. Demand, all things considered, remains very strong. However, pricing tensions for components, especially memory, are becoming more apparent.

Apple is not traditional when it comes to revenue guidance.

Here are two simple ways investors can frame the next quarter.

• Back-of-the-envelope range (year-over-year growth off last year’s March quarter): Apple did $95.4B In fiscal Q2 2025 revenue. If Apple prints +10% to +12% YoY (roughly where most sell-side expectations cluster in line), indicates about that $104.9 billion to $106.8 billion This March quarter.

• “Street” snapshot (consensus-style framing): FactSet estimates are quoted by the investor trading daily Peg around the March quarter $104.9 billion in revenue and $1.84 EPS.

However, there is also the margin factor. Apple is guiding for gross margins at 48% to 49% for the current quarter; Cook is flagging memory spending as a growing headwind beyond Q2.

Related: Wall Street issues immediate warning to software stocks after Anthropic AI move

This story was originally published by TheStreet on February 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the Investing section. Add TheStreet as a preferred source by clicking here.