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Apple plans five new iPhone models through early 2027, foldable output at 10 million

Apple plans five new iPhone models through early 2027, foldable output at 10 million

Nikkei Asia said Apple is expanding its iPhone lineup and lifting foldable production targets as AI-driven memory shortages squeeze rivals and push up component costs.

Fact Check
The core claim elements are directly supported by both the CNBC report and The Standard, each attributing the information to a Nikkei Asia report. Both confirm Apple planning at least five new iPhone models from H2 2026 through H1 2027 and raising foldable production targets to 10 million units (from 7-8 million), driven by memory-shortage pressures on rivals. Uncertainty remains only because these are forward-looking production reports rather than official Apple confirmation, but the consistent multi-source reporting makes the claim likely true.
    Reference: 12
Summary

Apple is preparing at least five new iPhone models from the second half of this year through the first half of 2027, while raising foldable iPhone production plans to about 10 million units from an earlier 7 million to 8 million, Nikkei Asia reported Thursday. The company has already secured components for about 80 million smartphones across new models planned for the second half of 2026, and its total smartphone production for 2026 is expected to top 220 million units. The report said Apple's scale and purchasing power have helped it manage an industrywide memory shortage better than Chinese rivals including Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo, each of which has cut annual production targets to below 100 million units. Bloomberg separately reported Thursday that Apple is in talks to source memory chips for devices sold in China from ChangXin Memory Technologies and Yangtze Memory Technologies as it seeks to widen its supplier base. The talks remain ongoing, and Apple has not confirmed them. The broader push comes as AI data center demand tightens memory supply, raises component costs and adds pressure across consumer electronics. Nikkei Asia said Apple plans at least two new iPhones in the first half of 2027, including the standard iPhone 18 and a new iPhone Air. Apple did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.

Terms & Concepts
  • foldable iPhone: A smartphone with a flexible, folding display.
  • memory chips: Semiconductors used to store data in devices.
  • supplier base: The network of companies providing parts or materials.