Apple, Product Launches, AI, and the Shifting Power Game: An Opinionated Look

For decades, Apple has been the company that dictated the pace of tech. The iPod revolutionized music. The iPhone flipped the mobile world upside down. The iPad proved that tablets could be mainstream. Apple’s stock has often reflected these moments, not just in the immediate aftermath of a keynote, but in the long arcs of hype, adoption, and ecosystem lock-in.

But the story feels different in the last few years. Now we’re in the age of artificial intelligence. AI is the word on everyone’s lips, the currency of Silicon Valley relevance. And for once, Apple looks less like the bold pioneer and more like the cautious giant. Investors notice. Competitors notice. Consumers notice. So the real question is: is Apple quietly losing its grip?

Apple’s Product Magic and Stock Surges

Historically, Apple’s product launches weren’t just events; they were financial catalysts. The iPhone launch in 2007 sent Apple’s stock up 1.2% that day, and nearly 16% over the following month. In 2010, the iPad boosted shares by about 13% within weeks. The Apple Watch’s introduction in 2014 added 3.3% on launch day.

These weren’t coincidences. Wall Street priced in Apple’s ability to create entirely new categories—or redefine existing ones. Investors didn’t just see hardware; they saw ecosystem growth, app stores, accessories, and years of repeat revenue.

For over a decade, this cycle repeated: flashy keynotes, glowing headlines, stock appreciation. But then came the plateau. AirPods were cool, but not iPhone-level. Services became a revenue powerhouse, but services don’t ignite hype the same way hardware does. The Vision Pro mixed-reality headset, hyped as Apple’s next frontier, landed with mixed reviews and uncertain adoption.

The stock still grew—Apple became a $3 trillion company—but the magic was shifting.

AI Enters the Stage, and Apple Feels… Late

When AI became the next big wave—thanks to OpenAI, ChatGPT, and a wave of generative AI—Apple wasn’t first. It wasn’t second. It was barely in the conversation.

Meanwhile, Google had Bard (now Gemini), Meta poured billions into AI infrastructure, Microsoft hitched its wagon to OpenAI, and Nvidia became Wall Street’s darling. Apple? It played its usual card: slow, careful, privacy-first.

In 2024, Apple announced a partnership with OpenAI, bringing features like AI writing tools and “Genmoji.” That announcement alone sent its stock soaring 7% to all-time highs. Investors were practically begging to believe that Apple could ride the AI wave.

But in 2025, at WWDC, the follow-up was underwhelming. Apple unveiled “Apple Intelligence” with slick branding and on-device privacy guarantees, but the big Siri reboot was missing. The stock dropped about 1.5% that day. Investors weren’t furious, but they were disappointed. It felt like the iPhone moment in reverse—Apple finally chasing, not leading.

The 2025 Stock Rollercoaster

• Early 2025: Shares dipped nearly 20% year-to-date, hitting lows around $169 as global tariffs and economic jitters hit.
• Mid-2025: Earnings came in strong—$95.4 billion in revenue—fueled by iPhone upgrades and AI hype. Stock rebounded.
• WWDC 2025: The AI reveal left investors cold. Stock fell ~1.5%.
• Late Summer 2025: A recovery began as analysts saw long-term promise in Apple’s $500 billion U.S. investment in AI, silicon engineering, and domestic manufacturing.

So, is Apple in trouble? Not exactly. But the era of automatic growth from shiny new products looks like it’s over. The stock now lives and dies on execution, margins, and whether Apple convinces the world it has an AI story worth betting on.

Apple vs. the Competition

• Google (Alphabet): Gemini AI is everywhere—integrated into search, Workspace, Android. In terms of AI mindshare, Google beats Apple hands down.
• Meta: Pivoted from metaverse to AI, embedding tools in WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook. Bold moves win investors’ attention.
• Microsoft: Its OpenAI partnership gave it the AI halo. It feels like Microsoft, not Apple, owns the future narrative.
• Samsung: Ships AI-first devices faster. Doesn’t have the ecosystem, but does feel ahead in shipping AI hardware.

Apple’s edge is still its ecosystem—two billion active devices, services revenue, unmatched loyalty. But “ecosystem” now feels more like “we’re milking the base” than “we’re building the future.”

Is Apple Losing Power?

Let’s be real: Apple isn’t collapsing anytime soon. It’s still the world’s most valuable or second-most valuable company depending on the day. Its cash reserves are absurd. It can buy time.

But it’s losing the narrative.

AI is the story of this era, the way mobile was in 2007. And Apple doesn’t feel like the protagonist. It feels like the cautious parent who shows up late to the party with snacks while everyone else is already dancing.

That doesn’t mean Apple won’t deliver eventually. Its privacy-first, on-device AI could prove smarter than cloud-heavy competitors. But for now? Apple feels reactive.

Timeline Recap: Product Moments vs. Stock

The Final Word

Apple is not dying. It’s not Nokia. It’s not BlackBerry. But the vibes are different now. In 2007, Apple set the tempo for the world. In 2025, it’s following a beat set by others.

That’s not fatal—Apple can afford to be late. But it means Apple’s power is no longer unquestioned. It has to prove it can lead again, not just polish. If the iPhone was its moon landing, AI might be its Mars mission. And right now, Apple hasn’t even left orbit.

So is Apple losing power? In stock terms: no, not yet. In cultural terms: yeah, a bit. And in the game of perception, that might be the most dangerous slip of all.