Apple shares are growing due to expectations that the company is about to enter the record sales of the iPhone, but one of the key indicators that characterize sales has slowed growth.

As reported by Insider. Pro with reference to the poll of Morgan Stanley, reduces the number of users who refuse Android-smartphones in favor of the iPhone. 1000 users in the US were interviewed, only 12% of those who do not use the iPhone, announced their intention to buy it in the future. For the year, this indicator decreased by 5%.

At first glance, this is not a big problem, but last year Apple repeatedly noted that it achieved a record level of users who switched to its operating system, although iPhone sales as a whole fell.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said that in the first half of the fiscal year 2017, Apple noted "the maximum (in the history of sales) the number of users switching to iPhone without China". Similarly, he spoke on the basis of the I quarter of 2017, as well as following the results of 2016, when the annual sales of smartphones fell for the first time.

The decline in the share of users buying the iPhone instead of any other smartphone was another indication that Apple is experiencing problems in the oversaturated US market, and also faces difficulties trying to increase sales in developing regions such as Asia, where it fiercely competes with Samsung and Chinese Huawei and Oppo.

According to IDC, last quarter Apple's share in the global smartphone market fell to 14.9% from 15.4% a year ago. In this case, the share of Huawei for the year increased from 8.4% to 9.8%, Oppo - from 5.9% to 7.4%, and Vivo - from 4.4% to 5.2%.

Analyst Morgan Stanley Cathy Huberti noted that the decline in the proportion of those wishing to switch to the iPhone will be compensated by a significant number of users in the US. Huberty increased the 12-month target price of Apple shares from $ 161 to $ 177, taking into account the price expectations of the beginning of the "super cycle" of sales after the release of the iPhone 8 in September. For the same reasons, Analyst Canaccord Genuity Michael Walkley increased the target price of Apple shares from $ 165 to $ 180.

Not too impressive launch of iPhone 6S and iPhone 7 created unsatisfied demand, says Huberty. Perhaps many have postponed updating their phones until the release of the iPhone 8 - the most popular model since the release of the iPhone 6.

Analysts predict record sales of iPhone in fiscal year 2018. So, Morgan Stanley believes that sales will reach 260 million dollars, Canaccord - 248 million dollars. The consensus forecast of 30 analysts polled by FactSet suggests sales growth of $ 242 million.

Some analysts warn that the so-called supercycle of sales is already included in the current prices of Apple shares. However, most people keep the recommendation to "buy" for Apple. The average target price is $ 160.63. Following the auction in the US market on Wednesday, Apple shares fell 3.3% to $ 150.25 on the back of a large sell-off due to political risks. Over the past year, Apple shares have risen in price by 61% compared to the growth of Dow by 18%.