Apple Inc. faces a critical bottleneck in its supply chain as a shortage of DRAM memory chips has halted the final assembly of its upcoming iPhone 18 Pro series and its first foldable device, reportedly named the iPhone Ultra.
According to reports from Liberty Times citing analyst Tim Culpan, approximately $1 billion (NT$32 billion) worth of A20 Pro processors, manufactured by TSMC using its 2-nanometer process, are currently sitting idle at factories awaiting memory components.
The inability to complete the back-end packaging of these high-value silicon wafers highlights the fragility of Apple’s production ramp for its most ambitious hardware lineup in years.
The iPhone 18 Pro series and the new foldable model are central to Apple’s growth strategy, and any delay in their availability could impact revenue recognition in the critical fourth quarter.
This development adds to existing headwinds for the iPhone 18 launch.
Previous reporting indicated that a persistent global shortage of RAM chips was already restricting production volumes due to specialized manufacturing constraints.