Apple to prioritise premium iPhone launches in 2026 amid memory crunch: Report

Apple is prioritising production and shipment of its three highest-end iPhone models for 2026 while delaying the roll-out of its standard model due to a marketing strategy shift and supply-chain constraints, Nikkei Asia reported on Jan 30, citing four people with knowledge of the matter.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Apple did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment outside regular business hours.

The US tech giant will focus on delivering its first foldable iPhone and two non-folding models with upgraded cameras and larger displays for a flagship launch in the second half of 2026, while the standard iPhone 18 is now slated to ship in the first half of 2027, the report said.

The move is aimed at optimising resources and maximising revenue and profits from premium devices amid rising cost of memory chips and materials, and to minimise production risks tied to the more complex industrial techniques for Apple’s first foldable device, according to the report.

“Supply-chain smoothness is one of the key challenges for this year, and the marketing strategy change also played a part in the decision (to prioritise premium models),” an executive at an iPhone supplier with direct knowledge of the plan told Nikkei Asia.

Apple on Jan 29

beat Wall Street estimates

for quarterly revenue, driven by strong iPhone demand and a sharp rebound in China, with chief executive Tim Cook telling Reuters that demand for the latest handsets was “staggering”. REUTERS