When a stone as big as the new products of the Apple falls into the pond of the stock markets, it can only bring vibrations everywhere. After last night's presentation, to measure up to the Cupertino news are the competing companies in various sectors: starting from Amplifon, Via Essilor Luxottica or for stm to Tsmc in Taiwan.
The American giant Apple has launched innovations that have been defined as “revolutionary features” for sleep and hearing health coming to the Apple Watch and AirPods Pro 2. According to analysts at Equita, for Amplifon, a leader in hearing solutions, all this could mean having one more potential competitor. According to other analysts, however, a different interpretation is allowed.
This morning at Piazza Affari Amplifon stock records a drop of up to 6% compared to the day before, to a session low of 26,45 euros. Operationally, analysts expect a downward extension of the curve with a support area seen at 26,24 and then at 25,73, while the possible resistance is seen at 27,34 euros.
Amplifon, analysts: “AirPods are not competitors”
The news, however, can also have a double reading and not necessarily be so negative for the sector and for the Milanese company. Beyond the immediate reaction of the market, typical of these announcements, the analysts of Carnegie, Hsbc e BNP Paribas underline two elements. The first is that the AirPods Pro 2 are a so-called “over-the-counter” device, that is, a device for mild and moderate hearing loss that does not require the presence of a hearing aid specialist. Therefore, a different product from the segment in which Amplifon operates, which is aimed at moderate and severe losses. Furthermore, it is a solution for uses limited to certain circumstances, also due to battery life”.
The second, as Bnp highlights, is that AirPods could increase the "number of people who turn to operators like Amplifon when their hearing situation physiologically worsens, generating a faster transition to a classic hearing device". For this reason, the analyses see "a limited risk in the long term“, if not an opportunity, for industry players. Furthermore, Carnegie writes, it is good for the industry that Apple increases “awareness of the importance of hearing prevention at all ages.”
The three functions of the new AirPods: a world first
Apple, yesterday during the keynote “It's Glowtime”, has revealed its arsenal of novelties, including theiPhone 16 with its powerful A18 chip and theWatch Apple 10, in addition to new AirPods with big news also in the field of health. In particular the new ones AirPods they offer, as Apple explains, three new features, developed after a large study on 160 thousand participants, effectively transforming them into hearing aids. There is a function of Hearing protection in very noisy environments, a test to monitor how we feel and have data at hand to pass on to our doctor or a specialist. And finally there is a real function of Hearing Aid, which turns AirPods into something very similar to a hearing aid. The software-based hearing aid feature represents a world premiere, making AirPods Pro a versatile hearing care device at an affordable cost,” Equita comments.
Waiting for approval from health authorities
The first hearing aid feature is software-based that helps make access to hearing care “easier than ever at an affordable price,” it said in a statement. Hearing test and hearing aid features are expected to receive authorization for placing on the market by health authorities global and will be available this fall in more than 100 countries and regions, including the United States, Germany and Japan. “
How the hearing test works
With regard to the hearing test, Apple explained that users can run the test in approximately five minutes from home. The testing feature leverages advanced acoustic science and offers users an interactive experience. When a user completes the test, they will see an easy-to-understand summary of their results, including a number representing their hearing loss in each ear, a rating, and recommendations. The results, which include an audiogram, are stored privately and securely in the Health app and can be shared with a healthcare provider for more informed conversations, Apple says.
“At Apple, we believe technology can help you live a healthier life and we’re excited to enable incredible new health features for serious conditions that affect billions of people around the world, while keeping user data private,” said sumbuldesai, vice president of Apple Health. “With Apple Watch, We continue to offer our users the ability to discover important health conditions with new notifications from sleep apnea. And on AirPods Pro, powerful features put users' hearing health front and center, offering new ways to test and get assistance for hearing loss.”
EssilorLuxottic, Stm and Tsmc stocks are also in the spotlight
Not only Amplifon, but other companies are also in the spotlight because they will have to deal with the news coming from Cupertino. Among these are EssilorLuxxottica, Stm and, in Asia, Tsmc. Let's see why.
The company belonging to the galaxy of Del Vecchio is continuing to work on the prototype of Nuance Audio, glasses which allow you to amplify your voice and therefore feel better, aiming for a launch in the US in early 2025. The idea is to insert a sort of “hearing aid” inside the frame.
Spotlights also on stm (Stmicroelectronics) of whose turnover Apple represents approximately 13%. The Italian-French group producing semiconductor electronic components after opening down to a minimum of 25,83, at mid-session partially recovers and is listed at 26,015 euros, down 0,33%.
Apple's event was also being closely followed in Asia, but the new iPhones powered by artificial intelligence did not seem to have impressed investors. However, it is worth noting the performance of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest independent semiconductor manufacturer, accounting for 20% of the turnover of stm, according to Websim. The title a Taiwan earns 3,80% today. August data showed revenue down 2,4 percent from July, but up 33,0 percent from August 2023. Revenue from January to August 2024 was NT$1.773,97 billion, up 30,8 percent from the same period in 2023.
