Everyone blamed memory prices. There were not enough to go around and their prices were skyrocketing. Then a Japanese report pointed at Samsung. According to Semiconportal, the iPhone 18 delay may partly come down to Apple’s switch to Samsung for camera sensor chips, a move that could explain why the base iPhone 18 has been pushed to 2027.
Apple’s decision to split up the iPhone 18 launch was known months in advance of the September 2026 event. Soaring memory prices and supply chain trouble were the obvious suspects, and they still are. But changing camera sensor suppliers in the middle of a product cycle could have added to the delay.
It goes back to last year, when Apple announced it would source camera sensor chips for future iPhones from Samsung. Its deal with Sony, the original supplier, was due to end this year, so the switch made sense.
The timing was tight, though. According to the report, prototypes of Samsung’s new sensors only went into production in spring 2026, which pushed mass production to fall.
Apple needed enough sensors to cover the whole lineup, so it reportedly launched the Pro models first and moved the base iPhone 18 to next year. In theory, that gives Apple time to build enough supply to meet its internal targets.
Samsung isn’t the only factor. Rising memory prices and difficulty keeping supply consistent are said to have played a major role too, and moving from one supplier to another was always going to cause some operational delays.
Apple and Samsung aren’t new partners. They already work together on most of Apple’s displays, and that partnership was expanded last year to increase investment in American manufacturing.
The sensors fit into that plan. They’re reportedly being made at Samsung’s factory in Texas, in line with Apple’s American Manufacturing Program (AMP).