Apple to Prioritize Premium iPhone Launches in 2026 Amid Memory Crunch: Report

But Apple is focusing on production and shipment of its three high-end iPhone models for 2026, but has delayed the rollout of it’s standard model due to a marketing strategy shift and supply-chain constraints, Nikkei Asia reported Friday that four people who knew about the issue were “very much in touch with this matter.”

The report was never confirmed immediately, according to Reuters. A Reuters request for comment outside normal business hours was not immediately responded to by Apple’s immediate response to a request from the company that requested it.

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

The strategy, which is aimed at optimizing resources and making the most money and profits from premium devices amid rising cost of memory chips and materials, also to reduce production risks associated with the more sophisticated industrial methods that Apple has developed its first foldable device according to the report.

One of these year’s key issues is the smoothness of its chains, and the marketing strategy change also played a role in this decision (to prioritize premium models),” an executive at one of the iPhone suppliers who directly know the plan told Nikkei Asia about the decision.

Wall Street estimates for quarterly revenue were topped by Apple on Thursday, which was driven by strong iPhone demand and a sharp rebound in China — CEO Tim Cook told Reuters that the latest handsets had been “staggering”. He said ‘Although s are in the line, “

© Thomson Reuters 2026