Apple Stock To Surge 35%? Wedbush’s Dan Ives Predicts AI-Packed 2026, Tim Cook Staying On — And A Google Tie-Up

Apple may partner with Google to power Apple Intelligence and the revamped Siri, according to the analyst.

• Dan Ives has set a $350 price target on Apple shares, citing strong iPhone momentum and upcoming AI updates.
• Amid speculation about Apple's CEO transition, Ives said Tim Cook is expected to stay on until the end of next year.
• Stocktwits sentiment for AAPL has climbed consistently over the past week to ‘extremely bullish.’

Apple, Inc. CEO Tim Cook is expected to stay on till the end of 2027 to support the iPhone maker’s effort in artificial intelligence, a top analyst said, adding that Apple would announce significant AI features in partnership with Google this spring.

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said Cook’s tenure “remains an integral period for Cupertino to design and execute on its broader Al Revolution strategy.” Over the past year, CEO succession at Apple has emerged as a hot topic. While some reports say Cook, 65, and the Apple board have begun preparing for an eventual transition, others suggest such discussions are premature.

Ives’ Bullish View

The analyst, known for his often bullish views on tech, set a $350 price target for Apple, implying about 35% upside from the last close. By comparison, analysts on average expect the stock to rise around 11% over the next 12 months, according to Koyfin.

Apple shares have had a relatively muted run lately, gaining just 8.5% in 2025 and falling 4.6% so far this month.

Ives made two major forecasts in his preview he posted on X on Sunday: Apple would sign up with Google as its exclusive partner for Apple’s AI feature, and it would finally launch its revamped, AI-powered Siri assistant at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in March-April.

“We would expect an AI-driven subscription service to be launched,” Ives said. Apple has faced persistent delays in rolling out long-promised AI features that are already available on rival devices, attracting a string of negative publicity.

Bloomberg reported in November that Apple was close to signing a $1 billion-a-year deal to use Google AI for Siri. Apple has about 2.4 billion active iOS devices and 1.5 billion iPhones in the market – one of the highest installed bases for any consumer gadget company.

Business Strength, Retail View

On the business side, Ives noted a rebound in Apple’s China business and strong momentum for its latest iPhone 18 line. 

“We are seeing strength in the China market in particular which should continue for Apple as a growth tailwind heading into the tail end of this iPhone 17 cycle and kicking off iPhone 18 this September,” he said, also forecasting that Apple will announce its rumoured foldable iPhone at the September–October launch event.

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for AAPL has climbed steadily over the past week and was ‘extremely bullish’ as of late Sunday. 

“Apple is playing AI very smart,” said on user. “All the companies spending money on AI are going to have [a] hard time when their earnings hit. $1 billion a year for Gemini is just peanuts for Apple AI. They don’t need AI to do anything crazy than Gemini can do.”

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