Apple's "hardware strategy," once seen as lagging in the AI race, is drawing renewed attention on Wall Street as doubts mount over AI investment profitability. Apple set an all-time high amid a broad U.S. tech stock correction, closing at $317.31 on the New York Stock Exchange on the 13th, up 0.63%. Its stock has risen about 17% this year, the highest return among the "Magnificent Seven" stocks. Rather than developing massive AI models, Apple chose to strengthen AI competitiveness around the iPhone, its own chips, OS and device ecosystem, actively using external AI models like Google's Gemini. According to Bloomberg consensus, Apple's capital expenditure for fiscal 2026 is expected to be about $12.2 billion, just one-tenth the level of Google, Amazon and Meta, while its free cash flow is forecast to reach a record high of $139.7 billion, up more than 40% from the previous year. TechCrunch noted that "Apple's cautious AI strategy is starting to look like the most financially sound choice."