Apple Unveils New MacBook Pro Ahead Of November Launch — HSBC Sees Strong iPhone Demand, Potential AI-Driven Upgrade Cycle

Apple's latest MacBook launch follows the iPhone Duo's retail debut, as HSBC maintained its ‘Buy’ rating ahead of the company's November 2 earnings report.

• The MacBook Pro announcement follows the October 23 launch of Apple's first foldable iPhone.
• Apple said preorders for the device begin Wednesday, October 28, with availability starting November 6
• HSBC expects Apple's revenue to grow 10.6% year over year in the quarter, compared with 16.4% growth in the preceding quarter.

Apple Inc. (AAPL) unveiled its new 14-inch MacBook Pro on Tuesday, starting at $1,999, adding to its product lineup ahead of the holiday shopping season and the company's upcoming quarterly earnings report.

Powered by Apple's M6 chip, the new laptop offers up to 25% faster artificial intelligence (AI) workloads and 30% faster graphics performance compared with the previous M5 model, according to the company.

Apple said preorders for the device begin Wednesday, October 28, with availability starting November 6. The launch follows a strong fiscal third quarter for Apple's Mac business, which recorded revenue growth of nearly 29% to $10.35 billion.

As of this writing, AAPL stock was trading marginally in the red.

iPhone Duo Launch Followed By Display Complaints

The MacBook announcement comes days after Apple's first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, reached stores on October 23. The $1,999-and-up device attracted long lines at stores and lengthy preorder wait times.

However, some early buyers reported problems with the inner display, including cracks and bright horizontal lines near the phone's hinge. Apple acknowledged the issue Monday, saying it affected a “small number” of devices.

“We are aware of an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of iPhone Duo units,” an Apple representative told CNBC. The company directed affected customers to contact AppleCare for replacements. Apple has not disclosed the cause of the problem.

HSBC Sees Strong iPhone Demand Ahead Of Earnings

HSBC analyst Nicolas Cote-Colisson maintained a ‘Buy’ rating on Apple with a $366 price target ahead of its fiscal fourth-quarter (Q4) earnings on November 2. According to TheFly, the firm expects Apple's revenue to grow 10.6% year over year in the quarter, compared with 16.4% growth in the preceding quarter.

The firm said iPhone 18 demand appeared strong, while iPhone Duo sales looked promising despite display issues affecting a small number of units. HSBC also believes Apple's expanding AI capabilities and product pipeline could drive a significant upgrade cycle.

What Retail Thinks About AAPL Stock

On Stocktwits, retail investors’ sentiment around AAPL Stock worsened to ‘extremely bearish’ from ‘bearish’ a day ago.

So far this year, AAPL stock has surged over 26%. By comparison, the Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (MAGS) and the Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT), which hold the stock, have risen over 8% and 29%, respectively, over the same period.

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