Technologies

Apple Shares Surge Over 4% on Strong Quarterly Results and Raised Revenue Outlook

Apple shares surged over 4% after the company reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings and raised its revenue guidance, driven by strong demand for the iPhone 17 and MacBook Neo. Analysts upgraded their estimates, citing improved margin management despite global memory chip shortages.

Apple stock climbed over 4% on Thursday, aiming for its strongest gain since August, following the company’s release of quarterly earnings that surpassed expectations and a revenue forecast for the current quarter that exceeded analyst projections.

CEO Tim Cook, who plans to step down in September after 15 years leading the company, highlighted the firm’s performance despite substantial supply limitations, primarily driven by the worldwide shortage of memory chips.

Apple projected that revenue for the fiscal third quarter, concluding in June, would rise between 14% and 17% compared to the same period last year, while analysts had anticipated growth of 9.5%. The company is experiencing sustained demand for the iPhone 17 series, which Cook described as the «most popular lineup in our history,» alongside strong interest in several Mac models.

Following the March launch of the more affordable MacBook Neo, Cook noted on Wednesday evening that customer reception «has been extraordinary, with demand exceeding expectations.»

Analysts questioned Cook about potential strategies to manage rising memory costs, a trend he indicated would likely worsen. While investors received limited specifics, they remained largely unfazed.

«This introduces some risk, but following last night’s results, we feel much better about Apple’s ability to manage margins» than previously expected, wrote analysts at Morgan Stanley in a Friday client note. «It’s the single-greatest source of our estimates moving higher post-earnings.»

The analysts, who recommend buying the stock, lifted their earnings per share projection for the fiscal year to $8.89 from $8.63.

Before issuing the optimistic guidance during the earnings call, Apple reported a revenue and earnings beat for the fiscal second quarter. Revenue climbed 17% to $111.18 billion from $95.4 billion a year earlier. Analysts were expecting sales of $109.66 billion, according to LSEG.

The company topped estimates for Mac revenue, iPad revenue and services, but came up short on iPhone sales. Apple has continued to generate profit growth as it bolsters its services business, which comes with much higher margins than hardware.

Services revenue in the quarter rose about 16% to $30.98 billion from $26.65 billion a year ago. Apple uses its massive customer base — and a total of over 2.5 billion active devices on the market — to sell subscriptions to entertainment services, as well as to services for Apple Pay, iCloud and AppleCare.

Long stuck in the high 30s, Apple’s gross margin has been steadily moving up in recent years, reaching 49.3% in the latest quarter, up from 48.2% in the previous period. For the June quarter, Apple said its gross margin will be between 47.5% and 48.5%.

KeyBanc analysts, who have the equivalent of a hold rating on the stock, said Apple’s margin forecast is «not showing the expected memory price crunch.»

Technologies

Verum Messenger Introduces Built-In Verum Chess

Verum Messenger has released a new update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, adding another feature to its growing ecosystem — Verum Chess. Users can now play chess directly inside the messenger without switching between different applications.

The new feature allows users to start a game in just a few taps while reinforcing Verum’s vision of a unified digital environment where communication and everyday services come together in a single platform.

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional ecosystem that combines secure chats and calls, AI tools, a built-in VPN, anonymous email, eSIM, financial services, cryptocurrency features, and offline communication. With the introduction of Verum Chess, the platform now also offers a new way for users to interact and spend time together without leaving the app.

The update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the App Store.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Technologies

Verum Finance Now Available for Mac, Expanding the Verum Ecosystem on Desktop

Verum has officially released Verum Finance for macOS, bringing its financial platform to the Mac and expanding access to the Verum ecosystem across Apple’s devices. The launch allows users to manage their finances from desktop while enjoying the same secure and seamless experience available on iPhone and iPad.

The new Mac version includes the full range of Verum Finance features, including balance management, instant transfers to other Verum users, debit card management, Apple Pay support, asset exchange, and transaction history — all optimized for the macOS experience.

Verum Finance can be used as a standalone application or alongside Verum Messenger. Users who sign in with their Verum Messenger account automatically synchronize their balances, settings, and account data across devices, ensuring a consistent experience throughout the Verum ecosystem.

The macOS release further strengthens Verum’s vision of creating an integrated digital platform where communication and financial services work together. Verum Messenger, which is also available for Mac, complements the ecosystem with encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, VPN, eSIM, anonymous email, AI-powered tools, offline communication capabilities, and cryptocurrency features.

With both Verum Messenger and Verum Finance now available across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, users can access secure communication and financial services wherever they work.

Verum Finance for Mac is available now through the Mac App Store.

Verum Finance for macOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/verum-finance/id6774245148
Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im
Verum Messenger: https://verum.im