New York, Jan 11, 2026, 09:48 (EST) — Market closed.
- Apple ended Friday at $259.37, gaining roughly 0.1% after recovering from a sluggish start to the year.
- India is pushing for stricter phone-security regulations that would mandate government labs to review proprietary source code.
- U.S. senators demanded Apple and Google remove X and Grok due to AI-generated nonconsensual sexualized images, setting a response deadline for Jan. 23.
Apple (AAPL.O) closed Friday at $259.37, ticking up 0.1%. The stock returns Monday amid India’s new proposed phone-security rules, which could require more invasive access to device operations. 1
Apple faces a tricky moment. Regulation is shifting from a background issue to an active concern right as investors wrestle with gauging iPhone demand and deciphering how “AI features” will impact upgrades, pricing, and margins.
India matters here because it’s more than just another rulebook. It’s a huge smartphone market and one of the rare spots where Apple can still boost unit sales without slashing prices drastically.
The draft rules drill down with specifics: source code must be reviewed at government-approved labs, phones are required to keep logs for 12 months, carry out regular malware scans, and notify a government agency ahead of major software updates or security patches. IT Secretary S. Krishnan stressed that “any legitimate concerns of the industry will be addressed with an open mind,” and called it “premature to read more into it.” Sources told Reuters that tech executives and officials are set to meet again Tuesday, Jan. 13. 2
Washington has resurfaced in the Apple narrative, now focusing on the App Store’s gatekeeping power. Three Democratic senators have called on Apple and Google, Alphabet’s unit, to pull X and its Grok chatbot from their app stores. Their demand centers on concerns about the platform facilitating the distribution of nonconsensual sexual images. 3
In a letter dated Jan. 9, senators urged Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai to “remove these apps” from their platforms until the reported violations are resolved. They demanded a written reply by Jan. 23, 2026. 4
Evercore ISI’s Amit Daryanani stuck with an “Outperform” rating, bumping his price target to $330 from $325, according to TipRanks — this target predicts where the stock could trade over about a year. He also lifted his December-quarter estimates, projecting $140.5 billion in revenue and $2.71 earnings per share. Daryanani pointed to stronger-than-expected iPhone demand and said higher memory costs won’t hit profits much in the near term. 5
The headlines tug Apple in opposite directions. Bulls highlight demand checks and the company’s margin defense, while regulators zero in on the story’s core issues — device security and app distribution.
The downside is clear. Should India demand source-code access and pre-approval of updates, Apple might grapple with increased compliance expenses, delayed patch releases, and intensified oversight on its software stack — aspects investors typically assume are straightforward.
Peers are also in the crosshairs. India’s draft rules could impact Samsung and Xiaomi phones broadly via Android, while Google finds itself caught up in both the India controversy and the U.S. app-store letter — underscoring that “Big Tech regulation” rarely singles out just one player.
Upcoming key dates include India consultations set for Tuesday, the senators’ January 23 deadline, and Apple’s quarterly earnings report. The tech giant’s earnings call is slated for January 29 at 2:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. ET. 6
