At a time when global consumer electronics is in turmoil due to the "storage catastrophe", Apple is said to be bucking the trend and asking suppliers to increase production expectations in order to seize more market share. According to the latest news on Thursday,Apple has asked suppliers to prepare to produce about 10 million foldable iPhones this year, according to people familiar with the matter., this number is higher than the 7 million to 8 million units expected a few months ago.

It is reported that Apple has made progress in solving technical problems related to the hinge of the foldable iPhone, so that it can start small batch shipments immediately after the fall release. However, due to many challenges in the manufacturing process of foldable devices, mass production is likely to have to wait until the end of the year.

Overall, Apple has previously booked parts capable of producing 80 million smartphones for its first foldable screen to be launched in the second half of 2026, as well as iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max.The latest news shows that Apple has revealed to some suppliers that the production of new iPhones in the second half of the year may be as high as 85 million units.

At the same time, Apple also requires suppliers to prepare some common components used in the iPhone 17 series for the upcoming high-end iPhone 18 series. The source also added,In the context of ongoing supply shortages, US consumer electronics giants are "actively taking measures" to ensure the supply of parts.

An Apple core supplier executive told the media: "The market demand for the iPhone 17 series is still quite strong, but Apple requires us to deliberately prepare conventional chips and components for the iPhone 18 series."

According to rumors that have been circulating for a long time, the iPhone release cycle will change starting this year: only three high-end models will be launched at the September conference, and the standard version of iPhone 18 and the second-generation iPhone Air will be postponed to the first half of 2027. In addition, the company also has plans to upgrade the entry-level iPhone, but it has not been finalized when it will be produced or launched.

This strategy of "launching several new iPhones every six months" is designed to reduce the time between new product launches, thereby continuously putting pressure on the market share of competing products such as Samsung.

Thanks to high-end pricing and its ability to control suppliers, Apple still has more room to maneuver than its competitors in the face of unprecedented memory shortages. Even so, Apple has had to raise product prices this year. The new high-end MacBook launched in March this year is already hundreds of dollars higher than the previous generation.

And last week,Apple further increases the prices of MacBook and iPad, with an average price increase of up to 20%. Although the pricing of the iPhone 17 series has not been adjusted yet, the market generally expects that it will be difficult for the next generation iPhone not to increase in price - and the impact of price increases on demand will be a problem that the entire supply chain has to face.

After the news of the price increase was released, Apple's stock price fell 6% on Thursday, and its market value evaporated by US$263.366 billion (approximately RMB 1.79 trillion).

(Apple daily chart, source: TradingView)

Several supplier executives told the media that they are ready to adjust production plans according to market conditions at any time.