Apple to prioritize premium iPhone launches in 2026 - report

Apple AAPL.O is prioritizing production and shipment of its three highest-end iPhone models for 2026 while delaying the rollout of its standard model due to a marketing strategy shift and supply-chain constraints, Nikkei Asia reported on Friday, citing four people with knowledge of the matter.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Apple did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for comment outside regular business hours.

The U.S. tech giant will focus on delivering its first-ever foldable iPhone and two non-folding models with upgraded cameras and larger displays for a flagship launch in the second half of 2026, while the standard iPhone 18 is now slated to ship in the first half of 2027, the report said.

The move is aimed at optimizing resources and maximizing revenue and profits from premium devices amid rising cost of memory chips and materials, and to minimize production risks tied to the more complex industrial techniques for Apple's first foldable device, according to the report.

"Supply chain smoothness is one of the key challenges for this year, and the marketing strategy change also played a part in the decision (to prioritize premium models)," an executive at an iPhone supplier with direct knowledge of the plan told Nikkei Asia.

Apple on Thursday beat Wall Street estimates for quarterly revenue, driven by strong iPhone demand and a sharp rebound in China, with CEO Tim Cook telling Reuters that demand for the latest handsets was "staggering."

-Bipasha Dey/Reuters