Tesla’s ‘full self-driving’ feature could put Elon Musk on the path Tim Cook followed to make Apple the world’s most valuable company

• Apple has become the world’s most valuable company in part by building a network of services that allows the tech giant to keep making money from customers after they buy their iPhone or MacBook.
• Morgan Stanley said Tesla is poised to follow a similar strategy.
• “Tesla is on the verge of a profound model shift from selling cars (volume x price) to generating high-margin, recurring software and services revenue,” the bank said in a November 18 research note.
• After adding digital services to its financial model for Tesla, Morgan Stanley raised its share-price target from $360 to $540.

Apple has become the world’s most valuable company in part by building a network of software-based services, from the app store to Apple TV+, that allows the tech giant to keep making money from customers after they buy their iPhone or MacBook.

Growing the percentage of Apple’s revenues that come from services has become a key element of CEO Tim Cook’s strategy. Under his watch, Apple has launched Apple Music, Apple TV+, and iCloud.

Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas thinks Tesla will follow a similar path in the coming years.