Apple is reportedly reducing its 2026 hardware shipment plans as a global shortage of DRAM memory puts pressure on supplies for Macs, iPads and upcoming iPhones. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says the shortage is real, but disputes a more dramatic claim that TSMC has built roughly $1 billion worth of unfinished processors that are simply waiting for Apple to secure memory chips.
Kuo says Apple plans processor production at least three months in advance and bases those plans on the amount of memory expected to be available. In his account, Apple does not ask TSMC to manufacture huge volumes of wafers without coordinating the memory required for final packaging, making the idea of a large stranded inventory at TSMC unlikely.
DRAM shortages are already affecting Apple hardware
The memory squeeze has already affected products including Mac Studio, Mac mini and MacBook Air, and continuing constraints are expected to reach Apple’s next iPhone generation. Memory manufacturers have increasingly prioritized chips for AI data centers because those contracts can be more profitable, leaving less production capacity for memory used in consumer electronics.
Limited supply has also pushed memory prices higher and contributed to longer waits for some devices. MacRumors notes that Apple raised prices across its Mac and iPad lineups in June, while iPhone prices are expected to increase in September.
iPhone 18 Pro and foldable iPhone could face limited availability
The supply situation could be particularly important for Apple’s September launch cycle. MacRumors says the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and foldable iPhone Ultra may initially be available in limited quantities because of the memory shortage, creating the possibility that the new models will sell out during the preorder period.
Kuo disputes the $1 billion unfinished-chip scenario
Kuo’s comments came while challenging a separate report claiming that TSMC had about $1 billion in unpackaged processors waiting for memory components Apple could not obtain. He argues that tight memory supply is a genuine industry problem, but says the close supply-chain coordination between Apple and TSMC makes such an extreme buildup of work-in-progress inventory unusual and unlikely. The distinction matters: the pressure on Apple’s 2026 hardware supply appears real, but the evidence cited by Kuo points to planned shipment reductions and constrained component availability rather than a breakdown in processor-production planning.
