Apple has instructed suppliers to prepare for the production of approximately 10 million foldable iPhones this year, up from an earlier target of 7–8 million units, according to supply chain sources cited by Nikkei Asia. The company has already secured components for around 80 million premium handsets—including the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and the foldable model—for the second half of 2026, pushing total annual iPhone output above 220 million units. Viewed from Cupertino, the scale of the ramp-up signals a deliberate push to capture market share at a moment when a global shortage of memory chips and other components is forcing many competitors to retrench.

The mechanism behind Apple’s confidence lies in its unmatched procurement leverage. While Chinese smartphone makers Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo have slashed annual production plans to below 100 million units due to severe component scarcity, Apple’s purchasing scale and long-term supplier agreements allow it to command priority access to memory and storage chips. This advantage is not without cost pressures, however. Separate leaks suggest that to manage rising flash-memory expenses—the bill of materials for a 256GB iPhone 18 Pro’s storage is said to have jumped from $13 to $51 per unit—Apple will switch the 1TB and 2TB versions of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max from faster, more durable TLC NAND to cheaper QLC NAND. At the same time, battery capacity in the iPhone 18 Pro Max is rumoured to increase to as much as 5,425mAh in eSIM-only variants, a move that would address a perennial consumer demand.

The foldable device, referred to in supply-chain circles as the iPhone Ultra, is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro series on 8 September 2026, with mass production beginning in late July after hinge-manufacturing issues were largely resolved, according to suppliers in South Korea and China. Priced between $2,500 and $3,000, the model is forecast to capture 29 per cent of the global foldable market, just behind Samsung’s projected 31 per cent share. Samsung, for its part, is preparing a two-model Galaxy Z Fold 8 line-up for mid-2026, including a wider “passport-style” variant and an Ultra model with a 200-megapixel camera, as the battle for the foldable segment intensifies. Beyond phones, Apple is also developing new iPad Pro and MacBook Pro models for the first half of 2027, even as it recently raised prices on existing MacBook Pro configurations, with the 1TB model increasing from $1,699 to $1,999, a direct consequence of component cost inflation acknowledged by CEO Tim Cook.

The next factual milestone is the start of foldable iPhone Ultra mass production in late July, which will test whether the supply chain can meet Apple’s ambitious volume targets. The standard iPhone 18 and a new iPhone Air are then expected in the first half of 2027, completing a five-model launch cycle that analysts in Tokyo describe as one of the company’s most aggressive in years. The key variable remains the trajectory of memory chip prices and availability, which will determine whether Apple can sustain its production momentum without further eroding margins or passing additional costs to consumers.