Apple’s (AAPL) Next Big Thing: Using Your Brain to Navigate iPhones

Tech giant Apple (AAPL) is working on a new technology that would let people control iPhones and other devices using brain signals. This could be life-changing for people who can’t use their hands, such as those with ALS or spinal cord injuries. Apple is getting ready for the future when brain implants, like those from Elon Musk’s Neuralink, are approved by U.S. regulators. Indeed, these brain-computer interfaces are already being tested in a few patients.

Apple is partnering with a company called Synchron, which makes a device called the Stentrode. This small implant sits near the brain and reads brain signals, translating them into actions like selecting items on a screen. According to The Wall Street Journal, ALS patient Mark Jackson, who can’t move his arms or legs, is learning to control an iPhone, iPad, and Apple’s Vision Pro headset using this technology. Right now, it’s slower than using a mouse or touch screen, but it’s a big step forward in accessibility.

While Synchron’s device uses 16 sensors placed outside the brain, Neuralink’s implant uses over 1,000 sensors inside the brain, making it more advanced. Neuralink’s first user has already shown that they can move a cursor faster than some people using a mouse. As a result, Apple plans to release a new software standard later this year to make it easier for developers to build apps that work with brain implants. Experts believe that these devices could one day help around 150,000 Americans, with commercial approval possibly coming before 2030.

Is Apple a Buy or Sell Right Now?

Overall, analysts have a Moderate Buy consensus rating on AAPL stock based on 17 Buys, eight Holds, and four Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. Furthermore, the average AAPL price target of $228.65 per share implies 15% upside potential.

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