Apple M4 Chip Coming? Its Market Value Soared by $112.1 Billion Overnight! Why Is Apple So Strong?

Since the beginning of this year, Apple has been hit by multiple negative news reports, leading to a more than 10% drop in its stock price for the year, with a market value loss exceeding $200 billion.

However, recent reports suggest that Apple is brewing a major upgrade, preparing to completely transform the entire Mac product line, with new Macs equipped with the AI-capable M4 chip.

Once the news was released, it caused a strong market reaction. On April 11, Apple led a tech stock rally, closing up more than 4.32%, marking the largest single-day gain since May 2023, at $175.04 per share, with a latest total market value of $2.7 trillion, an increase of $112.1 billion in market value in one day (approximately 811.3 billion yuan).

So, why did the news of the Apple M4 chip cause such a significant reaction in Apple’s market value? What makes the M4 chip strong?

According to Bloomberg, Apple aims to release several Mac computers equipped with the M4 chip from the end of this year to early next year, including a new version of the iMac, a low-end 14-inch MacBook Pro, high-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. All these models will be equipped with the M4 chip. The M4 chip will have at least three versions, including an entry-level version named Donan, a more powerful model named Brava, and a high-end processor codenamed Hidra.

Once this news broke, it instantly became the focus of market and technical attention.

Three Key Points of M4 Chip’s Technical Advantages

The M4 chip, as a new milestone in Apple chip technology, has significant technical advantages.

First, the addition of AI capabilities to the M4 chip signifies Apple’s major advance in intelligence. With the generative AI trend sweeping the globe, this move will undoubtedly enhance the competitiveness of its products in the market. The M4 chip is expected to significantly improve Apple devices’ machine learning and data processing capabilities, bringing users a richer and more personalized intelligent experience.

Performance improvement is another highlight of the M4 chip. From the M1 to M3 series, Apple’s proprietary chips have already achieved a qualitative leap in performance.

At the end of October last year, Apple released the M3 chip using the 3nm process technology in three versions, M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max, all of which showed significant performance improvements compared to their predecessors.

The launch of the M4 chip is expected to achieve another breakthrough in processing speed and energy efficiency ratio.

It is reported that the M4 chip will increase the number of cores in the neural network engine to enhance its capability to process AI tasks, with its computing power expected to further improve on the M3 series.

Apple’s plan to launch three M4 chip products codenamed Donan, Brava, and Hidra also showcases the diversity and innovative strength of its product line. The Donan chip may be featured in entry-level MacBook Pro, new MacBook Air, and low-end Mac mini, while the Brava chip might power high-end MacBook Pro and high-end Mac mini versions. For Mac Studio, Apple is testing versions using the yet-to-be-released M3 chip and M4 Brava chip variants. The highest-end desktop computer, Mac Pro, will be equipped with the Hidra chip.

M4 Innovation Plan for the Mac Product Line

Previously, some loyal fans of Mac Pro complained about the specs of the internal chips, so Apple’s update plan for the Mac product line is also noteworthy. According to reports, Apple plans to gradually release Mac products equipped with the M4 chip from the end of this year to early next year. This series of product upgrades will involve popular product lines such as MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini, bringing users a brand-new experience.

Especially the MacBook Pro, as the high-end product in Apple’s laptop series, the performance boost after being equipped with the M4 chip will undoubtedly attract a lot of consumer attention. Also, the iMac, as a representative of desktop computers, its upgraded performance and intelligence level will also become the focus of the market.

Additionally, the upgrade of the Mac mini will also bring a new competitive landscape to the small host market. Overall, this innovation in the Mac series not only demonstrates Apple’s continuous leadership in hardware configuration but also shows its deep insight into market demands.

Future Outlook on Apple Chip Technology

In terms of chip technology, Apple’s layout is equally noteworthy.

Insiders revealed that Apple has officially started the M4 chip development plan and has the opportunity to adopt TSMC’s 2nm process, with TSMC’s related process set to be installed this year and mass-produced next year.

According to the roadmap exposed by Canalys, the M4 series chips are expected to officially go online in the first quarter of 2025.

As 2nm and 1.4nm chip technologies gradually mature, Apple’s chip performance is expected to make an even greater leap. These technological advancements will not only enhance the processing power of Apple devices but also bring revolutionary changes in energy efficiency ratio.

Apple’s New Layout in AI Strategy

Previously, Apple terminated its car project that had been under development for nearly a decade, shifting a massive amount of resources towards AI development.

At WWDC, Apple plans to showcase new AI features in its products (widely speculated to include generative AI technology in iOS 18 and the launch of an AI app store), enhancing the intelligence level of Apple devices.

Apple’s AI functions are expected to make major breakthroughs in image recognition, voice processing, and data analysis. The introduction of these new features will not only enhance the core competitiveness of Apple products but also drive the entire tech industry to continue advancing on the path of intelligence.

Therefore, as someone who has long been optimistic about Apple, I believe that this time Apple is likely to shine in the era of artificial intelligence with its M4 chip, providing users with intelligent behavioral assistants, and rising to the top, which is the real reason for the recent surge in Apple’s stock price.

Now, Wall Street analysts are bullish on Apple.

Among them, Wedbush analysts indicate that Apple’s stock could still see significant gains this year, maintaining its “outperform” rating and a target price of $250 per share, the highest expectation on Wall Street. Wedbush stated that this could be due to five bullish factors, including potentially strong overall iPhone sales this year, the launch of iPhone 16, robust company service revenue, and the integration of artificial intelligence into its devices.

This also fully shows the market’s recognition of Apple and expectations for its future development. If you are also optimistic about Apple, consider regularly monitoring market trends through the BiyaPay App, finding the right timing to buy or sell. The advantage of investing through the BiyaPay App’s multi-asset trading platform is that you can trade directly within the platform without a foreign bank account, with real-time deposits and withdrawals; it also supports the exchange of digital currencies for USD/HKD, withdrawing to Charles Schwab or other securities for investment trading, providing quick and unlimited transactions, truly convenient.

Moreover, many investors are increasingly interested in the iPhone upgrade cycle led by artificial intelligence. Although Apple’s fundamentals have deteriorated since the beginning of the year, the broader investor interest in Apple’s stock has also improved.

Of course, whether it can ultimately deliver a satisfactory answer remains to be seen until this chip hits the market. Let’s look forward to it together!