DRAM shortage for millions of Apple A20 Pro threatens launch of iPhone 18 Pro

The successor to the Apple iPhone 17 Pro is expected to be officially unveiled in just a few weeks, as Apple has consistently announced new iPhones at a launch event in September for years. However, several hurdles still stand in the way of a successful launch. On the one hand, the next-generation iPhone could see a drastic price increase. On the other hand, the DRAM crisis is expected not only to drive up costs but also to delay production.

According to the latest information from analyst Tim Culpan, Apple’s chip supplier TSMC is currently sitting on over one billion U.S. dollars’ worth of Apple A20 Pro ARM processors for which no RAM is available. Finding enough DRAM for millions of iPhones is proving difficult during the DRAM crisis. Efforts to secure Chinese memory manufacturer CXMT as a supplier reportedly failed due to disagreements over price, leaving Apple still reliant on SK Hynix, Micron, and Samsung.

However, the largest memory manufacturers are increasingly prioritizing server memory, as it is more lucrative than DRAM for the consumer market. This DRAM shortage has already led to the MacBook Air ($1,250 on Amazon) no longer being available on short notice. Since the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Ultra is likely just a few weeks away, this shortage of memory could either lead to a delayed launch or to limited availability of the new flagship smartphones at launch.