193: Is Apple DOWNGRADING the iPhone 18 Due to Memory Shortage?

193: Is Apple DOWNGRADING the iPhone 18 Due to Memory Shortage?

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through how the global memory shortage is forcing Apple's hand across multiple key products, killing configurations, delaying launches, and prompting spec decisions that would have seemed unlikely a year ago.

The pressure originates outside Apple's control. JPMorgan analysis cited by the Financial Timesfound that memory could account for as much as 45% of an iPhone's component costs by 2027, up from around 10% today. Companies like Nvidia are reportedly outbidding consumer electronics makers for limited DRAM supply from Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron, while cloud firms are locking in capacity with multi-billion-dollar upfront commitments. Apple, which buys memory for roughly 250 million iPhones per year, has shifted from a position where it could dictate terms to one where it must compete for supply, and component prices are being driven up as a result.

The consequences are already visible in the Mac lineup. Apple last week removed the Mac mini's 256GB storage option, pushing its starting price from $599 to $799. Days later, it eliminated Mac mini models with 32GB and 64GB of RAMand stripped the M3 Ultra Mac Studio to a single 96GB configuration, with delivery estimates for remaining Studio models at 9 to 10 weeks. The ‌Mac Studio‌ had already lost its 512GB memory option in March, and multiple configurations became entirely unavailable in April. On Apple's April 30 earnings call, CEO Tim Cook acknowledged that both machines would be "hard to get for months to come" and said Apple expects "significantly higher memory costs" in the current quarter.

The MacBook Neo was sold out through April and Cook described demand on the earnings call as “off the charts." The ‌MacBook Neo‌ uses binned A18 Pro chips, adopting manufacturing rejects from the iPhone 16 lineup with one GPU core disabled, repurposed rather than discarded to keep costs low enough to hit the $599 price point.

Apple's initial production target is believed to be about five to six million units, but demand has since pushed the company to instruct suppliers to prepare for at least 10 million. TSMC's N3E production lines, where the A18 Pro was made, are now running at maximum capacity, with AI-related orders consuming much of the available output. A fresh manufacturing run for the A18 Pro would yield fully functional chips rather than defective ones, raising the per-unit cost before any expedited manufacturing premium is applied.

Apple is now said to be weighing up its options for the ‌MacBook Neo‌. The company is purportedly considering cutting the 256GB entry-level model, which would push the effective starting price up by $100 without changing any existing configuration's price, the same mechanism used with the ‌Mac mini‌. Separately, Apple may be considering new color options to soften any price increase.

Upcoming products are apparently being reshaped too. Weibo leaker "Fixed Focus Digital" has claimed in a series of posts that the standard iPhone 18 is being downgraded as a cost-cutting measure, with both display and chip specifications affected. Most recently, the leaker said certain parts are interchangeable between the ‌iPhone 18‌ and the lower-cost iPhone 18e. For context, iPhone 17 and iPhone 17e differ meaningfully: the standard model has a larger ProMotion display, Dynamic Island, Ultra Wide camera, five-core GPU, and significantly better battery life, but it looks like there could be fewer differences with the next generation.

A follow-up post framed the new split launch strategy, under which the ‌iPhone 18‌ ships in spring 2027 rather than alongside the Pro models in the fall, as a deliberate commercial mechanism to smooth out demand. By extending the ‌iPhone 17‌'s flagship run, Apple is also said to be creating conditions under which a lower-specced successor will be more palatable. The split launch itself has been widely reported since last year, with Ming-Chi Kuo and Nikkei among those to have corroborated it.

The launch of the rumored all-new high-end MacBook Pro or "MacBook Ultra" with an OLED display and touchscreen has also apparently slipped. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said early 2027 is now looking more likely than late 2026 due to Apple's constrained memory supply cited as a factor.

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Jaksot(183)

196: Siri’s Make-or-Break Moment at WWDC 2026

196: Siri’s Make-or-Break Moment at WWDC 2026

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the major rumors surrounding Apple's announcements at WWDC 2026.00:00 Introduction01:50 Why This WWDC Matters02:58 The New Siri App...

5 Kesä 52min

195: WWDC 2026 Promises Apple Intelligence and Siri Upgrades

195: WWDC 2026 Promises Apple Intelligence and Siri Upgrades

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's WWDC 2026 keynote date, the sweeping Siriredesign coming in iOS 27, Apple's latest accessibility feature previews, and the hinge troubl...

22 Touko 44min

194: Should Apple Be Worried About Gemini Intelligence?

194: Should Apple Be Worried About Gemini Intelligence?

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Google's latest wave of announcements for Android and Gemini, the newly announced Fitbit Air, and Apple Watch Series 12 rumors.The centerpiece ...

15 Touko 42min

192: Your Tech Questions Answered

192: Your Tech Questions Answered

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we answer your listener questions about the future of Apple's product lineup, the software and services shaping the ecosystem, and our own personal histor...

1 Touko 44min

191: Tim Cook Is Out as Apple CEO

191: Tim Cook Is Out as Apple CEO

On this week's special episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's bombshell announcement that Tim Cook will step down as CEO on September 1, 2026, with hardware engineering chief John Ternus se...

24 Huhti 36min

190: Major iPad Mini Redesign Coming Soon/What’s Next for the iPad

190: Major iPad Mini Redesign Coming Soon/What’s Next for the iPad

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through Apple's upcoming overhaul of the iPad mini and iPad Air, looking at the future of the product lineup as a whole.The headline upgrade is a ...

17 Huhti 43min

189: The Latest iPhone Fold/Ultra Rumors

189: The Latest iPhone Fold/Ultra Rumors

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss all of the rumors surrounding Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone, now said to be called the “iPhone Ultra," which is shaping up to be a comprehen...

10 Huhti 38min

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