Get HotMacNews- iOS App and Homepage
To access HotMacNews on your computer Click Here (It makes a great Home Page)
To download iPhone or iPad app (HotMacNews2) click here HotMacNews2
**Once in HotMacNews Home Page click on Preferences to customize to your needs.
Citi hikes Apple price target to $365; bullish on market share gains and pricing power
On Monday, Citi raised its price target on Apple to $365 from $315 while maintaining its Buy rating. The move reflects stronger margin expectations and rolled-forward financial estimates amid what the bank sees as Apple’s continued resilience in a tough environment for devices.
Apple shares were trading at new all-time highs in Monday morning trading, as investors digested the positive commentary ahead of the company’s upcoming earnings report. Citi remains constructive on the stock, highlighting Apple’s ability to gain market share even as broader smartphone and PC markets face headwinds.
Citi notes that smartphone and PC markets are likely to decline by mid-to-high teens percent. Despite this, Apple is positioned to outperform. According to the note:“continues to outperform the broader smartphone market through share gains, design-driven demand, and strong positioning in the mid-range price segment via promotions and subsidies.”
The firm also stated that Apple “should continue gaining market share despite a slowing devices market.”
A key driver behind the higher price target is Apple’s demonstrated ability to implement selective price increases. Citi observed that Apple raised prices on several products mid-quarter amid rising component costs and is evaluating additional memory suppliers to diversify its supply chain.
While iPhone prices remain unchanged for now, Citi expects price increases in the upcoming September launch cycle:“with more focus likely on the higher end models where demand is more resilient.”
The bank also flagged an expected foldable iPhone launch in the fourth calendar quarter. These factors support higher margin expectations following recent price increases.
On Apple Intelligence, Citi takes a pragmatic view. The note states that Apple Intelligence is:“unlikely to drive a significant upgrade cycle in the near term.”
However, the bank sees meaningful longer-term potential from enhanced Siri AI capabilities, which should increase user engagement and support growth in high-margin services revenue.
Citi identifies the September iPhone launch as:“an important catalyst that could further strengthen investor sentiment.”
This event is viewed as a potential positive for both hardware momentum and overall investor confidence.
On the services side, Citi notes that Sensor Tower data showed App Store revenue in the June quarter grew just 3% year-over-year — tracking below company guidance. That said, the bank views iCloud and advertising as stronger drivers for future revenue growth.
Citi’s raised price target to $365 reflects a combination of:
• Continued market share gains in a challenging devices environment
• Ability to protect and expand margins through selective pricing
• Rolled-forward estimates and stronger margin expectations
Citi’s note underscores Apple’s structural advantages — brand strength, ecosystem lock-in, and pricing power — even as near-term AI-driven upgrade cycles remain limited.
.
Source link: https://macdailynews.com/2026/07/13/citi-hikes-apple-price-target-to-365-bullish-on-market-share-gains-and-pricing-power/
Apple releases fifth iOS 26.6, iPadOS 26.6, watchOS 26.6, tvOS 26.6, and visionOS 26.6 betas
Apple has seeded the fifth developer betas of its current-generation point-release updates — iOS 26.6, iPadOS 26.6, watchOS 26.6, tvOS 26.6, and visionOS 26.6 — continuing its steady refinement of the 26-series software ahead of a final public release expected later this month.
The updates arrive roughly one week after the fourth betas, maintaining Apple’s typical cadence for late-cycle point releases. As with previous iterations in the 26.6 branch, the changes appear focused primarily on bug fixes, performance improvements, security patches, and under-the-hood stability rather than flashy new user-facing features.
Apple has not published detailed release notes for these builds, which is standard for minor updates this deep into the cycle. Testers report no major discoveries so far, suggesting the company is polishing existing code as it winds down active development on the 26 family.
Key elements carried over from earlier 26.6 betas include:
• — A notification that informs users when they have reached the system’s maximum blocked contacts limit (reportedly around 20,000 entries). Most users will never encounter this, but it provides transparency for heavy users of the feature.
• — Code references to a security feature that could automatically lock an iPhone if it detects a sudden “snatch” or forceful removal from the user’s hand. This remains unconfirmed in user-facing form but has appeared in strings across multiple betas.
No new visual changes, app updates, or Apple Intelligence enhancements have surfaced, consistent with Apple’s shift in focus toward the major iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27 (Golden Gate), and related releases previewed at WWDC 2026.
• iOS 26.6 & iPadOS 26.6 — Expected incremental build following 23G5057c
• watchOS 26.6 — Following 23U5054b
• tvOS 26.6 — Following 23L5758b
• visionOS 26.6 — Following 23O5757c
Public beta testers should receive matching fifth public betas within the next day or two via Apple’s Beta Software Program.
Apple typically ships x.6 updates in late July, making a final release of iOS 26.6 and companions imminent. These point releases serve as maintenance updates for the current generation of devices while the bulk of engineering resources move to the fall’s major upgrades.
With iOS 27 already on its third beta and introducing significant Siri AI, Apple Intelligence expansions, and performance improvements, the 26.6 cycle represents the final tuning for users who prefer to stay on the stable 26 track a bit longer.
Developers can download the new betas from the Apple Developer portal or over the air via Settings > General > Software Update (with Developer Beta enabled).
Public beta testers should check for updates after signing up at beta.apple.com.
As always, Apple recommends against installing beta software on primary devices due to potential instability or battery/performance quirks.
Expect the stable iOS 26.6 release to arrive before the end of July.
.
Source link: https://macdailynews.com/2026/07/13/apple-releases-fifth-ios-26-6-ipados-26-6-watchos-26-6-tvos-26-6-and-visionos-26-6-betas/
