There have long been rumours that Apple’s basic iPhone 18 would see a delayed launch this year. At the time, it was suspected to be a strategy shift to allow more space for a foldable iPhone in September this year. Now, though? The events are the same, but the reasoning is a little different.
One of Apple’s vendors, Pegatron, seems to have confirmed the smartphone maker’s split launch plans. The vendor said in a recent earnings call that it was shifting focus to other projects, according to a report from Economic Daily News. The cause? The ongoing memory shortage is forcing schedule reworks, including those on Apple’s calendar.
iPhone 18 when?
Instead of Apple launching in September and then again early in 2027 for marketing reasons, Pegatron says that there is a semiconductor bottleneck and a “structural shortage of components” [translated] getting in the way. Potentially launching more than four iPhone models at once likely still plays a part, but it appears issues are less in Apple’s control than previously thought.
These issues don’t exclusively affect Apple, of course. Pegatron predicted a shortage of 130 million smartphones on the market this cycle, with production of AI servers replacing those consumer devices. That’s less of an issue for the Taiwanese manufacturer, but for anyone looking for an affordable bit of pocket tech, it’s looking bleak.
There are already rumours that Apple’s headline iPhone 18 Pro lineup is in for a substantial price increase. Pair that with talk that the more ‘basic’ models will have older screen tech (likely to offset cost increases elsewhere), and it might not be the best time to upgrade your Apple device.
