Apple Lifts Foldable iPhone Plan to 10 Million as Chip Shortage Drives China Memory Talks
Updated
Updated · CNBC · Jul 2
Apple Lifts Foldable iPhone Plan to 10 Million as Chip Shortage Drives China Memory Talks
3 articles · Updated · CNBC · Jul 2
Summary
Apple has told suppliers to prepare about 10 million foldable iPhones this year, up from an earlier 7 million to 8 million forecast, as it readies at least five new iPhone models through the first half of 2027.
Nikkei Asia said Apple has already secured components for roughly 80 million smartphones for the second half of 2026, with total 2026 iPhone production expected to top 220 million units.
That scale has left Apple better positioned than Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo, which have each cut annual production targets to below 100 million units as memory costs rise across consumer electronics.
The push follows Apple price increases for MacBooks and iPads last week, underscoring how tighter memory and storage supply is reshaping its product plans and supplier strategy.
Is Apple's pursuit of Chinese memory chips a desperate move or a strategic pivot in the tech war?
Will this deal with blacklisted suppliers finally break the West's dominance over the global chip market?
Apple’s Memory Crisis: U.S. Blacklist, $300 Price Hikes, and the Rise of Chinese Chipmakers
Overview
Apple is urgently lobbying the U.S. government for permission to buy memory chips from blacklisted Chinese companies like ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) due to a severe global memory chip shortage. This shortage has driven up the cost of essential components, forcing Apple to raise prices on products such as MacBooks and iPads. CXMT, supported by the Chinese government, is rapidly expanding as part of China’s push for a self-sufficient semiconductor industry. Apple’s efforts highlight the critical need for diversified chip sources to stabilize production and pricing amid ongoing market volatility.