Brian Earl Spilner said:
AAPL seems to have become an AI hedge? Definitely behaving that way, weirdly.
Apple has always been a market follower - wait until technology is proven, then build a better, more integrated, mousetrap. Sometimes this benefits them (and may, during this AI boom), and sometimes it hurts them. They didn't invent the the PC, MP3 player, the smartphone, bluetooth earphones, or smart watches, but they built versions that were more reliable, more intuitive, and worked well within their proprietary infrastructure. It has been a BIG winner for them over time.
When they have moved too quickly and got ahead of themselves (video goggles, etc.), they've paid a price.
Therefore, I think by being slow adopters and not making huge capital-intensive bets, they may end up being a winner in the AI race, which looks kind of like a hedge, whether intentional or just being a laggard, which is their nature.