Prediction: Apple Will Soar Over the Next 5 Years. Here's 1 Reason Why.

Core Viewpoint - Apple is struggling to catch up in the artificial intelligence sector, leading to underperformance in its stock due to disappointing AI efforts [1][2]. Group 1: Current Performance - Demand for Apple's AI features and related hardware has been lackluster, with iPhone revenue declining in the quarter ending December [2]. - iPhone unit sales fell by 4.1% year-over-year during the same quarter, indicating a significant drop in consumer interest [2]. - Apple's AI-powered virtual assistant, Siri, has been reassigned to a new chief after being described as "ugly and embarrassing" by a senior director [2]. Group 2: Market Expectations - Analysts suggest that the market may have had unrealistic expectations for Apple's AI advancements in the short term [3]. - UBS analyst David Vogt warns that significant improvements in Apple Intelligence are not expected within the next 12 months, even with the upcoming iPhone 17 series [3]. Group 3: Future Growth Potential - Analysts foresee potential AI-driven growth for Apple once the company enhances the marketability of Apple Intelligence [4]. - The intelligent virtual assistant market is projected to grow at an annualized rate of 26% through 2033, indicating a promising future for AI technologies [4]. Group 4: Analyst Sentiment - The current 12-month consensus price target for Apple is $253.71 per share, reflecting a 15% increase from its current price, with most analysts rating the stock as a buy [5]. - A catalyst is needed to convince investors that Apple's AI initiatives are back on track, but there is a concern that it may be too late to invest once such a catalyst appears [5].